


So The Drama: Resolution

by Jeriddian



Category: Kim Possible (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:55:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 218,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28135779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeriddian/pseuds/Jeriddian
Summary: Based on the first three seasons of Kim Possible, the series, as this story was written before Season Four. So the Drama did not show the full scope and depth of Kim's and Ron's future, as the events after StD force them to evaluate their relationship in the face of a resurgent Dr. Drakken allied with again with Monkey Fist and Duff Killigan, but especially against Shego, who becomes ten times more powerful and is going insane, all while being guided unknowingly down a Prophecy that will determine the fate of Kim and Ron if they fail.........and especially if they succeed.
Relationships: Kim Possible/Ron Stoppable
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

Prologue

The day broke with clarity on the mountain top monastery with sharp definition of its lines in the blazing sunlight. But despite the intensity of the illumination, the morning was still biting cold. Nothing moved save for the few swallows still scratching for leftover orts from the monks' table, cast out for them from the evening meal. The only other thing that could be seen was the lone young woman frozen in lotus position at the center of the tournament ground in the courtyard. Her breathing was slow and contemplative, her eyes unfocused to anything there, centered instead to everything inside her. Her auburn hair was slightly unkempt and she looked to be comfortable and at rest. Yet her meditation was disturbed. Despite the fact she was a true adept at the art and her mental skills were unmatched by any save her master, she was not at peace. The source of that disturbance was what had happened but twelve hours before. With a false calmness hiding her distress, she thought back to the previous night, continuously and repeatedly reexamining all the events...

Everything had been prepared. Everything had been readied for that one moment, the goal for which she had trained so many years. The masters had all come to witness the solemn ceremony for which they had been gathered, which first began with the invocation of the spirits of the mountain. As the prayers started, she could remember seeing them. There were the Shaolin and the Wing Chun, the Wu Shu and the Tai Chi Chuan next to them, and the Tai Shing Pek Kwar. Around the circle she saw the others, Bagua Zhang, Sanshou, Tien Shan Pai, Ying Jow Pai, and from the south were the Hung Gar and Lau Gar families and their styles. All sixteen great styles were represented here, gathered in the Great Hall of the Monastery, standing in a semi-circle around the walls of the huge chamber, sternly cold faces assessing, contemplating, hoping, even dreading what was going to happen with the extraordinary student who stood at the room's center. They were all looking at that young woman... ...her... ...the Chosen One. At the center of that semi-circle, her own master stood and faced her at the critical time. He stared at her intensely, being stone still for the longest time, and then hesitating for but a moment he gave her a quick nod.

With that one small gesture, the Test had begun. Instantly she assumed tiger stance, having sensed that style appropriate for the beginning, to show strength and tenacity from the outset. She knew not what to expect, only to expect the unexpected. The incantations by the monks continued as the smoke of the incense rose and thickened in the dense air of the chamber. Still, nothing seemed to be amiss, and she watched carefully, unmoving from her position, seeing nothing untoward until the smoke seemed to move strangely, as if against the air currents of the room. Taking on life of its own, the vapors started to amass into a palpable cloud that gathered form until she could see it face her. More and more it became defined, looking familiar, until she could recognize it... ...It, too, was the Tiger. She thought about this as she gaged the danger. As she had assumed this animal form, so it would seem the Test would set her to task for it. The beast stood there and glared at her, baring its teeth and growling threateningly... ...then it suddenly attacked, roaring in its ferocity.

The young woman changed her tactics. Whirling around into a Crane form, she sidestepped the bite and claw attacks, assuming the one legged stance characteristic of the bird, fluttering her arms slightly in imitation of the wing movements. The tiger growled, approaching slowly, trying to goad her into a premature lunge, but she calmly waited, as would the Crane. Finally, the Tiger assaulted her again, growling impatiently in defiance and slashing at her in strong powerful strokes. Nimbly she jumped back and forth, smoothly evading them and then suddenly striking in return with two quick front kicks, imitating the Crane's beak, solidly connecting with that almost ethereal body. Knocking it down, it seemed to lay still, defeated. Unexpectedly, the Tiger's form dissolved away into smoke and incense. The young woman quickly withdrew again and stood high in the Crane's one legged position, fluttering the wings once more as the scattered smoke slowly coalesced into another form. Gradually the vapors came together, this time into a Crane like her, only one much larger, again challenging her right to use the form she chose. With a screech, it flapped its wings at her, trying to confuse her sight as it pecked at her with its beak repeatedly, trying to break her balance, but she smoothly repelled each thrust of the bird's beak with the Crane's characteristic evasive moves. To counter her opponent, she changed her style to that of the Monkey. Moving almost comically, she approached the giant Crane as it again struck out at her, still fluttering its wings and then jumping back to try again. But the young woman's moves were unexpected and seemingly unpurposed. Here and there she jumped, looking at her opponent with quixotic gestures that would confuse it. Again and again the Crane struck with its beak, each time barely missing her as she moved at random in different directions. Finally, the smoky bird lashed out with a beak strike that overextended its reach. This allowed the woman to grab its beak, literally crawling up onto the giant bird's body where she was able to strike it down. It collapsed to the ground, squawking into wispy gas. Her opponent so disrupted again, the young woman leaped down to the floor. Crouching and ready, she stayed with the Monkey style. The smoke swirled again before gelling back into a new form. This time, it chose the Dragon. Once more the Test sought to cleverly thwart her, to use the direct attacks of the Dragon with its ability to slide back into ethereal invisibility within the incense smoke against the sly tricks and gymnastics of the Monkey. But she was equal to the challenge. She jumped and bounced out of the way as her enemy continually opened its mouth and attempted to burn her with its breath. Innately, she was able to sense when the smoke and incense would suddenly give up the form of the Dragon's body when it attacked. Frustrated, the Dragon intensified its strikes, seeking to barrage her with repeated bites and claw attacks at the expense of its invisibility, until she was able to fool it with her variant Drunken Monkey style moves and make it jump in too close. Then she was able to strike its neck and chest with her quivering palm attacks. Screeching its annoyance, the smoke dissipated once more, only to reform into yet another opponent to be confronted...

One by one, the stances and techniques of the sixteen great styles were visited upon the young woman by her near immaterial adversaries, to deny her the claim that she was the Chosen One. All five major animal forms were arrayed against her at one point or another. In addition to the Crane, Dragon, and Tiger, came the stealth of the Leopard and and tenacity and patience of the Snake. The swaying and clutching techniques of the Praying Mantis were particularly difficult, but she remained successful, knowing exactly which animal form to counter it. The Bear soon made its appearance, and went down in defeat. All the other animal forms known to Kung Fu were thrown against her as well, including those using the strong low stance techniques of the Southern styles with their strong hand strikes and holds, followed by the lightning quick kicks of the Northern disciplines according to the nature of each form. Repeatedly she was assailed, and in turn she used all her knowledge, exhibiting the skills and techniques of all the great animal forms and the sixteen great styles. One by one, the old masters nodded in confirmation of their approval of her mastery as her successes mounted...

At the end, there was only one style she had left. Saving her own outer self form for last, she assumed the Dragon, and was surprised to see the smoke form again into two opponents, monkey and rat, neither of which had been seen before in the Test. She frowned at this. Her present form was dominant to either of theirs in power, and she had already proven superior maneuverability. It did not make sense for the Test to put itself at such a disadvantage. Even the division into two opponents did not present an obstacle as it only weakened the individual power of each of them. But it did not matter. Her task was to know her foes and to defeat her enemies in the combat of the Test. So she had been instructed.

Determined to bring the Test to a close, she attacked. Yet the monkey did not move aggressively, only evading her with sad eyes. The rat seemed to chitter in fear as it rushed about, looking for a place to hide. Slithering and sliding with undulating movements characteristic of the great beast that was her sigil, she hid her movements and strikes until the last moment. Even so, the monkey managed to dodge her attacks, though it never returned a riposte of any kind. She thought it a strange looking monkey with a bared face and freckles, its eyes brown. For a moment she thought it looked almost human, but it was nobody she recognized. The rat also looked strange, seemingly having no hair. But it did not deter her singlemindedness. She knew only that she had to defeat them. She continued to attack until she finally cornered the monkey against one wall, the rat having jumped around evading her advances as well, trying to bite her in defense when it could. With the monkey unable to move, the rat jumped again, landing on the monkey's shoulder as she delivered her final victorious strike, the rodent painfully shrieking at the her in an effort to distract her from delivering the blow. She was not to be denied. Swiftly, she delivered a jumping side kick right through her adversary's abdomen, directly into its chi. As she did, she was struck by how much sadder the monkey's eyes had become. Instantly, the smoke of both animal forms dissolved away. She stopped then, breathing hard, waiting... ... and there was no more. The incense no longer felt threatening to her. Slowly it was rising, clearing the air and gathering above her. She realized it was over, and she was exultant, feeling she had finally done it. She had finally passed the last obstacle. Beaming with her success, she whirled around and looked at her Master for his acknowledgment, his approval that she had finally achieved her goal, that she had proven she was indeed the Chosen One. She was ready to start the great mission for which she had prepared for half her life...

Something was wrong. She saw shock on her mentor's face, and alarm on most of the other masters as well. A screech came from above and up there she saw where the smoke had re-accumulated. A slow steady roar assailed her ears and the smoke suddenly broke apart into a myriad number of animal forms. These were the same ones she had faced, but now they attacked all at once without mercy. She cried out, unable to defend herself from so many strikes at one time. Feeling the sting of their bites and claws and beaks, her flesh being ripped apart by talons and teeth, she screamed as she fell into unconsciousness.

When she awoke, she found herself on the floor of the chamber. There were no wounds, no pain, no blood. Her uniform had only mild scuffs of dust on it. All the monks were around her, sitting with sad faces, quietly discussing in hurried tones their next course of action. She quickly got to her knees and knelt to her master. All voices stopped and turned to her.

"Master.", she pleaded, "What has happened? Did I not pass the Test?"

His face anguished with pain, he said, "No, young one. You did not."

Her eyes flew wide open in shock.

"But how? Why? We followed the prophecy completely! What did I do wrong?"

"That is something we must determine. But we do know you failed at the last part only. That part of the Test was one of recognition of your inner animals. The monkey and rat are tied to you in the Great Trine of your destiny. You were not supposed to attack them. They were not enemies. I am sorry... ...but you are not the Chosen One."

Stunned, she stared wide-eyed at him. Then as the tears came to her eyes, she ran from the room. So many years she had spent training. So much suffering and inuring to hardship. Was it all for nothing? Did her life just become a total waste?

Over the next few hours, she wandered the halls, numb to all feeling, lost with no purpose, stumbling around. It simply made no sense. How could she fail? Everything she had done to that point had shown her and the masters here at the monastery she was the only one who could fulfill the Prophecy. They counted on her to be the one that would keep the great evil which had come across the sea from descending completely upon the land, indeed upon the entire world. But now, none of it made sense. She wracked her brain trying to figure out why it all went wrong. She could only think of one way to do that, and so she went off to meditate, to enter the higher state of interpretation to find meaning to all this, to find out why she had spent so many years here to learn all she had learned... ...and which now appeared to be nothing more than futile nonsense. The dawn had found her there in the courtyard, her mind enveloped in this conundrum which had now completely disrupted her life.

From the nearest building, a door creaked and opened to the old man who slowly pushed his way through, pausing when he saw the young woman. He calmly stroked his long beard and hair, both whiter than the snow still abutting the monastery walls at this time of year. As he watched her, he quietly considered the fact that she had been there all night despite the freezing cold. He knew she was master enough of her body to defeat that and other trials even more severe. But it would have been far better if that was all she had to endure, even a thousand times over, because he knew last night was much worse for her.

Looking down to the ground, he sighed in resignation, wishing that what had occurred could be undone. But it was too late for that. After the failure of the Prophecy to be fulfilled, she had left the council of elder monk masters despairing that failure, what she actually considered as being her failure. But it was not so, as the Monks later learned later that night. Their meditations brought new wisdom to them and they learned that the Prophecy was not wrong. They had only misinterpreted it, and so his young charge, despite the fact that she was not the Chosen One, would still be a key to its fulfillment.

Belying his age, he glided towards her on a young man's legs, finally standing before her and gazing down with the affection that he had developed over the many years she had been with him. She truly was like a daughter to him, and it was painful to know that she would now have to leave, and that he would never see her again. He gently lowered himself down to a sitting position before her and waited silently. He knew her distress, understanding what she had just experienced, and he could see nothing else was important to her at this time. She had not bothered to change or wash up since the Test, still dressed in her black ceremonial fighting uniform. But even so absorbed in her thoughts, he knew that she would sense he was there, and he was simply being polite in awaiting her to come out of her meditative trance. As the student, she should have attended to her master as soon as he approached her, but he was allowing her great leeway now, which she deserved.

She did not keep him waiting any further. Slowly her eyes closed, and she gently exhaled the last breath of the exercise. Arising out of lotus position to her knees, she bowed gracefully to him, which he returned regally.

"Master.", she murmured, "What now? Now that I've failed..."

"No, my child. It is not so", he replied serenely, "In fact, that is why I am here. It is to my great shame to tell you that it was not you who failed us, but we who failed you."

The young woman gazed at him, puzzled.

After a moment she asked, "But, Master, I do not understand! There is no doubting the Prophecy. You yourself said that I was the only one who could fulfill it. Every reason I could have had to doubt you was wiped away as you showed me the beauty of the art and the skills I have learned here, and in the knowledge I have been privileged to acquire. And yet in one short night, everything has changed... ...I am not the One... ...I..."

"Do not blame yourself, young one.", he said gently interrupting, "If any are to blame, it is the elder monks and myself. In our desperation to find the hero who was sought for so long, we let ourselves believe too well without properly meditating upon the Prophecy, a necessary act we have finally performed last night after you had left the Test."

"But still, I failed the Test."

"Yes... ...It was fated for you to do so."

She gaped at him, shocked.

"But... ...Master... ...then why am I here?"

He sighed softly, his shoulders slumping in resignation.

He replied, "Because just as it was fated for you to fail, it was also fated for you to come here as well to do so. It was more important that you learned the skills you now have for another purpose. Our meditations have shown it was critical for us to misinterpret the Prophecy. It was meant to be so, for you are still crucial to it. You are not the One, but you are as important as she who will become the One."

She looked at him, alarmed, speaking in a dazed voice.

"But how? You know the prophecy..."

"Born in the year of the dragon under the month of the rat, shall come she whose time will ring with the dragon's wars.  
Born in the year of the dragon at the hour of the monkey, shall come she who shall thwart all evil.  
Born in the year of the dragon and of the earth shall come she whose soul shall be the monkey and whose friend shall be the rat.  
Born in the year of the dragon enveloped in fire and full knowledge from birth shall come she of the Great Trine, and all three shall save the world."

"Master,", she murmured, "I was born in the year of the dragon, in the month of the rat, at the hour of the monkey. We know of the times we face. War breaks out upon us again in many different places in the world. In the fire and crucible of your teachings have I proven myself with full knowledge."

"And so our meditations showed us.", he answered gravely, "Yet the monkey and the rat did not appear to us as we thought. It was only natural that as your outer self was dragon, that your inner selves would manifest as monkey and rat. The first Great Trine would be complete and the foretold great leader, intense and powerful, would be so endowed. But we were fooled, fooled by our smug pride that we could so easily interpret the sacred words. We had thought that these would be aspects of your inner self to mature with time and training. We had contemplated too deeply, and our meditations of the evening showed how we had erred. It was far simpler than that. The Chosen One shall indeed be born in the year of the dragon, in the month of the rat, at the hour of the monkey. She shall be born into a time of great trouble and evil, and she will be called upon to save the world from that evil. But that time is not now."

She looked at him perplexed, "But then how am I part of this, Master, if?... ...if I am not the Chosen One?"

He smiled at her and said, "My child, you must now leave us and go out into the world to live your life. I shall miss you so greatly for you have become a daughter to me and I will be sad to see you go, but it must be so in order for the Prophecy to be realized...

"This is why. The monkey and the rat shall not come from within but from without. The monkey shall be the chosen one's soul in the form of one who shall be her soul mate. The rat shall be the third, also from without, who shall be their friend. She will face the evil with these two beside her as her allies, in full knowledge for she shall be born with the knowledge and skills, not only of our style, but of all the sixteen great styles of the art within her. Had you been the Chosen One, you would have recognized them as your allies during the Test, and not fought them, for they bore the faces of her companions...

"And she shall be enveloped in fire, outwardly as her hair, the color of the flames of war she will wage against the evil ones, but also inwardly in the fire of her resolve and determination to defeat the evil she is called upon to conquer. For your part, the magic of the Prophecy has put you in her stead in this time for a crucial reason. You have done the learning and mastery of the art for her. Thus by the Prophecy's magic shall she be imbued with your knowledge at her birth. The art will then appear at a very early age, and she will naturally recall that knowledge and will develop her skills through her own self- realization and the tutelage you shall arrange. The Prophecy shows us that when she is a grown woman, she will already be master of all the styles. And you will be most important as you must guide her, not in her skills you will have already given to her, but in her character, to keep her on the path of goodness, and not one of evil...

"For she is your future granddaughter."

**Present Day**

Kim Possible lay in the hospital bed so irritated with herself she could just scream, especially so since it was her own blasted fault. She knew she should not have let that sitch get so far out of hand. As it was, the injuries she had suffered were minor, yet here she lay, curled up in pain in the pre-op area about to go into one of the operating rooms in the surgery suite. Sure, avoiding that car hurtling at her was no big, or so it seemed at the time, however she barely managed to get out of the way of it, and the hard landing she suffered disabled her enough to put her here in this unbelievably exasperating predicament. Of course, the timing could not have been worse with all the things she had left to do, her father now gone to Washington to advise the Pentagon, Monique down with the flu, and Ron out there somewhere, or more importantly not here where he was supposed to be! Worse, she was getting more of those vexing belly spasms her injuries seemed to have triggered, and her doctor had expressed concern she might have suffered some internal damage that might require surgery, thus her present predicament. But what irritated her more than anything else was how helpless she felt. All she could do was wait, confined to counting long minutes on her bed, until the surgical suite could finally be cleared for her. She sooo hated being this incapacitated, and it certainly didn't help one bit that she threw a fit on the way to the hospital because of all the fussing over her by her parents, notably just as her father was leaving. It only worsened her mood to new lows.

Fortunately, once she got to her room, things finally settled down and became quiet. No one was with her except her mother who sat silently beside her reading a medical journal. Kim was still a bit groggy from the analgesics they had given her, just enough to blunt the pain. She grunted with a slight twinge from another spasm as it hit her, and her mother looked up at her over her glasses to make sure she was all right.

"Where's Ron?", Kim asked her for about the sixth or seventh time.

"He finally called and said he was on the way.", her mother answered, "He's picking up Jim and Tim from school."

The abdominal pain let up and she relaxed, slapping the bed in frustration.

"I so wish he'd hurry up. I really hate doing this alone!"

"But I'm here for you.", she said supportively.

"I know, Mom, I know. But I'd really like him to be here."

"Well, I'm sure he'll make it soon, Kimmie."

"Yeah.", Kim sighed, trying to see the better side of the situation, "Thanks anyway. I really am glad you're with me."

"Of course, dear."

Her mother smiled and returned to her reading.

She settled back down as comfortably as she could, dreading the next muscle spasm that would hit her, trying not to be upset at having to wait at all. Yet, Ron was late, again! And despite her attempt at perceiving the' silver lining' in all this, her black mood really was growing darker by the minute. She hoped Jim and Tim weren't giving him any trouble. They had been such little terrors lately. She was considering how to make them behave better when there was a knock at the door. Excited, she sat up quickly, glancing expectantly at the sound, then realized it couldn't be Ron. He wouldn't have knocked. Dejected, she lay back down again.

"Come in.", she said morosely.

A woman with short blond hair timidly stuck her head past the door and looked in. It was that reporter, the one who had been doing the story on her over the last week. A magazine writer, she wanted to pen an article on Kim's life and her remarkable career. To do this, she had been interviewing her in several segments, one each day. Another interview session had been scheduled today until this 'accident' happened, and when the reporter learned she was in the hospital, she called and asked if she could still come up and continue the work. Despite her mother's reservations, Kim allowed it, especially since it was hopefully the last one. Kim didn't mind the interviews initially, but she was starting to get tired of it and wanted it all over and done.

"Is this a bad time?", the reporter asked.

"No, not really.", replied Kim.

Actually it was, but she needed a distraction. Her mother looked at the reporter with a slight grimace but then turned her attention back to her reading and said nothing. The reporter smiled with gratitude as she took a chair and pulled it up to the other side of the bed opposite from where her mother sat.

"Thank you so much for letting me come in and continue with the interview.", she said congenially, "I know this is rather inconvenient, but I do hope to be able to finish up with this session."

Kim gave her a smile as she answered, "You're welcome. I was thinking the same thing. Besides, it'll help take my mind off the pain while I'm waiting."

"Great! I heard they were supposed to take you to surgery. I hope it won't be long."

Kim looked over at her mother longingly.

Dr. Possible glanced back over her reading glasses and said, "Don't look at me. I'm just a brain surgeon."

Kim looked up at the ceiling and sighed, even more irritated, then blurted out to her visitor, "Whatever! Let's get on with it."

The reporter opened up her notebook and turned on her tape recorder.

"Okay, we had just stopped at the point where you had defeated Dr. Drakken and his fiendish plot to take over the world with the toy diablos."

"Right.", Kim replied, deep in thought.

That brought her attention back into focus, concentrating on the reporter's point of reference.

"Right.", she repeated, "Once the command signal tower was destroyed and I took down Drakken and Shego, we secured them and called the police to come pick them up."

"I understand that Mr. Stoppable had a hand in capturing Drakken."

"That's true.", Kim said, "Of course, without Shego to protect him, that was no big. As you know, Ron's always been a great asset to my operation."

"Yes...", said the reporter as she scribbled some more notes, "And then it was after that you went back to your junior prom, wasn't it? It's so fascinating that you had just saved the world again, and then you simply returned to your conventional school life as if it was of no great importance, like nothing that momentous had occurred."

"It's what I do.", Kim replied in a rather nonchalant tone, "I'm proud of my work. But I never wanted any of that to interfere with my private life either. I do try and keep those two aspects separate."

"I see.", the reporter said, writing something down, "So tell me, what happened then?"

Kim's brows knotted in deep thought. The prom seemed so distant now, so far away, yet it really was like only yesterday, not really that long ago. She could still feel the emotion, the sense of accomplishment, the triumph of the mission, the first kiss... ...yeah the first kiss, and everything else that complicated the next year of her life.

The reporter waited patiently as Kim gathered her thoughts. She gingerly sat up and started to fluff a couple of pillows against the headboard to prop herself up, preparing for a long session.

Her mother got up, saying, "Here, let me help you with that."

Kim thanked her as she finished propping the pillows. Then she leaned back, relaxing as much as the pain would let her. Once settled in, she looked steadily at her guest for a long while before speaking.

"You know,", she finally said, "I had thought the first three years of high school were really great years, but my senior year...",

Her voice trailed off as she looked away for a moment, hesitating. The reporter waited, then tried to draw her out more, saying, "Yes..."

Kim looked back at her and smiled.

She said, "My senior year... ...gosh. That was probably the most stressful, the most worrisome, the most frightening, and the most dangerous period I ever had in my career."

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah.", Kim replied softly, smiling even wider, "But I wouldn't change a single minute of that year for anything, because it was also the most wonderful year of my life."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One**

Summer... ...yeah...

It was the summer after their junior year. The prom in April, just before it ended, had become such a turning point in his life. Ron's every waking thought now was on his lifelong best friend, Kim. His 'girlfriend', now, sort of... ...Yeah, sort of. They were, no, they still are, best friends. They had grown up together, did everything together. They knew each other inside and out; their likes, their dislikes, how the other would respond to different situations, and they were so completely trusting of each other to be able to share virtually every intimate detail about themselves.

At least, he thought so.

It was true he had always wondered about having more of a relationship with Kim before this. But he never really seriously considered it out of respect for Kim's inclinations, which in the past were definitely against going in that direction. The ironic thing was he totally agreed with her reasoning. Neither one of them wanted to risk losing each other as best friends if it went sour. More importantly, Ron knew that Kim had never really considered him 'BF' material. Sure, as best friends, they were totally committed to each other, but that was as far as it was supposed to go. He figured she thought that way because there was that, well, that not so vague nuance, that quality in their relationship. Which was, of course, that Kim saw him, and often treated him so much, as a child. It was like the time he tried out to be the Mad Dog mascot. Even though Kim had initially been against the idea, she agreed to let him go for it because of their friendship. But he knew she was just letting him work out what to her was another immature impulse of his, and even when the Mad Dog mascot went over as a huge hit, it didn't change her opinion of it one iota. True, she didn't think it was quite such a dumb idea after that, but the "foaming at the mouth" trick still ticked her off pretty good every now and then.

Yeah, they were best friends, but developing that friendship to something more than that had always been limited in her mind by his "child-like wonder", as Keiko, Mr Nakasumi's assistant, had put it on that last big mission. Kim really liked that expression now, often using it against him when he aggravated her in some way. So frustrating! He absolutely was not "child-like", as far as he was concerned. He liked to have fun, that's all, and Kim was just being way too serious and critical, not willing to see the lighter side of life! He had a lot of fun, really cool ideas too... ...Okay, maybe they didn't work most of the time.

'But still!', he stewed... ...Okay, yes! She just didn't see things his way a lot of the time, and she would just brush him off, dismissing it all again as immaturity. 'So not right!', he groused to himself, venting to no one in particular, though Rufus always listened. 'She certainly could put a crimp in things at times with that supercilious air she could get! Funny word too, supercilious.', he recalled sullenly, 'Mr. Barkin would have to ask me to define it in class that one time.' Of course, he wouldn't have even remembered it at all if Kim hadn't answered the question when he couldn't, much to his embarrassment.

'So how did Kim get past all that?', he asked himself again, and again it always went back to that part of the conversation they had, the one which changed it all when they were tied up at Bueno Nacho headquarters...

_"You really think there's a guy out there for me?"_

_"Out there.", he replied, "In here."_

_"Oh! Really?"_

What did change her mind?

Maybe it was because he really did think enough of her to want to be that guy for her, just as he made it clear their friendship wouldn't change even if she looked elsewhere again... ...'Again!', he thought morosely to himself, having hoped she wouldn't at the time. But what was really aggravating to him was simply that he had come to the realization he wasn't sure why. Whatever the reason though, whatever she had thought before, it was actually happening...

They were dating.

'Gosh!', he thought, anticipating it would be so wonderful, so new, so exciting. Instead, the funny thing was that not too much changed. They still saw each other at school, hung out at the mall or Bueno Nacho, went to the movies, and always planned Friday nights together just like they always did. The only difference now was that at the end of a "date", she would kiss him goodnight. And to his surprise, it turned out that was just fine with him. He no longer cared about all the cool babes in school he would never be able to take out, or how popular he was with the kids, which of course he wasn't. He realized those things just didn't matter to him any more. Her attitude towards him also changed, now that they were BF-GF, and she would talk about things differently, taking on a different perspective. It wasn't so much that she was confiding more in him. She already did that. It was just that she started talking about things like they were really a couple, where whatever he did affected her as much as it did him. It surprised him when he realized the enormity of what she was saying. And for the first time in his life, he understood how much more responsible he had to be not only to himself, but also to her, which was why Kim was pleased when she noticed him no longer slacking off so much, doing his work at home the way his parents wanted, and raising a couple of his grades in school by the end of the year.

Now he looked forward to the Summer months in anticipation of the fun he and Kim were going to have. He had been worried how Kim would be busy those next three months with a lot of different activities, including the cheerleading camp at Middleton College. In past summers, it wasn't a problem. He did his thing. She did hers. This time though, it concerned him, thinking all that stuff would cut into their new found need for together time, and he fretted if she was going to end up as a girlfriend who really would have no time for him at all, making him end up as some sort of disposable boy toy. Thankfully, he was relieved when she still made sure to see him both at home and at their usual haunts, and was able to do it even while making time to also hang with Monique, just doing girl stuff. 'She was always good at scheduling her day that way', he thought with a smile.

A smattering of chirping and gnawing noise snapped Ron out of his ruminations, and he looked down to see Rufus scolding him for ignoring the game, pointing angrily at the TV screen and demanding that he get his head back into his playing. Ron sighed and returned his attention to the remote control and the screen. This night, Ron had stayed at home playing video games with Rufus, who was really trashing him bad on "Zombie Mayhem IV: Zombie's Revenge". He really liked this version even though they kept the flame throwers in it. He finally admitted to himself that Felix was right about that. What was cool was that he had become really good at playing it, though unfortunately, despite his own badical thumbing skills, having four limbs to use on the controller was one heck of an advantage for the mole rat which is why he usually won. Nonetheless, Rufus wanted him to put up a good fight and make it interesting, and Ron tried to accommodate him. Concentrating hard on the game to overcome his disadvantage, Ron at first didn't see the lights starting to get brighter in the room. But eventually, it did get his attention.

He looked up when the lights flashed particularly bright, making him wonder if the ceiling fixture was shorting out or something, but he soon saw that had nothing to do with it. The lights filled the room diffusely, having no obvious point of origin and making them really eerie. Alarmed, he put down his remote, and scanned the room for a source, as did Rufus, but not before the mole rat squeaked concern and jumped into his pocket. He poked his head out and frantically watched the flashing colors with his human as they shifted and condensed, when finally the luminous points started to localize and drift downward, a strange aura hovering over the den coffee table. That's when Ron relaxed. The first time he saw this aura in the school cafeteria, it nearly scared him out of his mind, not to mention his pants. Now he simply looked on expectantly, wondering why Sensei was contacting him now. Gradually, the image coalesced into the old master's form, who smiled gently and spoke to his one time student.

"Greetings, young Stoppable. It has been some time since we have spoken."

Ron smiled back and exclaimed, "Hey, Sensei! Great to see you too. How's things at Yamanuchi?"

Sensei said, "We continue to be blessed with prosperity and peace. All is well here. And how are you?"

He grinned and replied, "Hey! Nothing but love, baby!", flashing a peace sign to which Sensei responded laughingly with the same gesture.

Ron went on, "So, what do I owe for the pleasure of your visit. Uh, if I may ask?"

Ron was trying to act cool, the way he always used to be, but felt just then how his 'cool' act wasn't working. He had been seeing this for a while. It was so artificial, and he wondered, 'Is that how I always come across? And why am I just now seeing it?'

"You may.", replied Sensei, who had a habit of literally speaking, and therefore answering literally as well, "For some days now, there has been an expansion of the Mystical Monkey Power within the Lotus Blade. I have meditated long and hard on this and have found that this change leads back to you."

Ron regarded Sensei with a surprised look.

"Really! To me?", he said, puzzled, "Uh, there's nothing wrong with me that I know of."

Sensei eyed him closely for a moment before answering him.

"Still, I sense your disquiet. You have crossed an important horizon, reaching some point of significant change in your life."

"Change?", exclaimed Ron, "There's nothing different..."

Ron's face suddenly went pale, and he looked sheepishly down at the floor, finally suspecting what Sensei was talking about as he muttered, "Oh! Well, Sensei! Uh, I guess you can say that, what with everything I've been going through. Things are a little different. I mean, err, things are wonderful, great. But..."

"Ah.", the old master discerned with a smile, "I see now that feelings in your heart have been awakened."

Ron looked up, his face slightly reddened. He smirked, saying, "Yeah, Sensei. It's Kim and me."

"Such wonderful news! I am happy for you both, young Stoppable!", the old master exclaimed gleefully, but he saw Ron wasn't responding in equal fashion.

Concerned, he asked, "Yet, I still see this disquiet in you. Why so, in the face of such a happy event?"

Ron's mouth twisted slightly to one side as he considered his answer.

"Well, yeah, uh, I mean we're just dating, Sensei. And don't get me wrong! It's great! But, uh, I guess it's made me start to think about things that I have to do now, you know, things that I need to do for the future, because now it's not just me any more. I'm just not sure what kind of future to plan for though, or how."

Sensei's visage relaxed into a contented expression as he answered, "I understand, young Stoppable. But do not worry. I have expected this for some time and I believe I can help. However, we must act soon, if you wish to realize your dreams."

"My dreams?", Ron asked, confused and squinting his eyes at him, "How do you know my dreams? Are you mind-reading me or something?"

The old master chuckled, "I do not have to read your mind to know, young one. It is in my power as a master of Tai Shing Pek Kwar to discern much. But for now, you must hurry. You must join me at the Yamanuchi school quickly, for your sake and for ours. Your plane ticket is ready for you to join us."

A Yamanuchi ninja abruptly appeared from the den window and handed Ron a secret ninja airplane ticket, disappearing just as quickly afterwards. The first time they did this to him in Tokyo Airport, it nearly scared him out of his wits. This time Ron remained unperturbed.

"Uh-huh, yeah. I remember these. But I can't go! I have to help Kim in summer camp. And my parents have things for me to do!"

Sensei smiled again, "Young Stoppable. Is it not more important for you to learn what your future may hold for you, to fulfill your destiny? And your dreams?"

Ron paused and blinked his eyes.

"Well, I guess so. You mean, you know my future?"

"Possibly.", replied the old master, grinning cryptically, "You must travel the path to self-enlightenment, to learn that destiny which will deeply affect you... ...and Kim Possible."

Ron stared hard. The fact that Kim was affected definitely got his attention.

"If it affects her,", he said seriously, "I have to know. Count me in, Sensei. But what about all the stuff I got to do here?"

"Those matters have all been taken care of.", Sensei said matter-of-factly, "All your duties there will be done by others while you are here in Japan, and you will not be gone long. Also, please come alone. Although we here at Yamanuchi greatly enjoy the company of Rufus, this visit is one for you only. I shall see you when you arrive."

The master of Yamanuchi smiled widely and bowed his head. The issue thus settled, he quickly winked out. Ron stared silently at where the old master's image had been. 'Boy!', he thought incidentally, 'That aura image trick must really save on the phone bills. I wonder if I can do that?'

Rufus began to chitter loudly, clearly upset.

'Not to mention being able to coordinate his ninjas to appear with tickets', Ron continued to muse, looking back at the den window. Rufus kept whimpering, and Ron finally noticed, quickly picking the mole rat up out of his pocket and stroking his skin, trying to soothe and reassure his pet.

"Gee, I'm sorry, little buddy. But you heard him. It won't be long. I'll be back before you know it."

Rufus continued muttering his displeasure with a definite "Rats!"

"Hey! It's cool!", said Ron, "I'll have Kim take care of you. She doesn't mind now that she's used to you."

Considering that, Rufus's face brightened and he chittered a cheery "All right".

He was about to call Kim to arrange for her to take care of Rufus when he remembered she was out with Monique. He couldn't reach her directly. That meant he would have to call Wade to get in touch, which he so hated doing. He halfway considered doing it anyway, but then finally decided he really didn't want to disturb her "just us girls" time. Instead, he called her house and left a message with her mother, telling her what he was going to do, and asking her to have Kim come over the next morning and pick up Rufus. Mrs. Dr. P replied she would be happy to give Kim the message. With Rufus' sitch taken care of, Ron started thinking about his new undertaking. He could sense that he was about to do something really big. Whatever it was, it had to do with the Mystical Monkey Power, but what?

The next morning, Ron boarded the plane and traveled to Japan for the first time since he had gone to Yamanuchi more than a year earlier. It was different this time, riding commercial without Kim, but he enjoyed the plane ride nonetheless, happily anticipating meeting up with Yori again. He was a little apprehensive too, because he knew she liked him, and he was going to have to tell her that he and Kim were dating. He hoped it wouldn't make their meeting awkward. After landing, he soon made it to the base of the mountain of the Yamanuchi school, and Yori was indeed there, glad to see him. Smiling, he greeted her with a formal bow and then a hug.

"I am so glad to see you once more, Stoppable-san!", she said joyfully.

"Same here, Yori. You look great."

She giggled with a slight blush, "Thank you. You are too kind. But we must hurry. Sensei awaits you."

"No helicopter, right?"

She laughed again.

He chuckled, rolling his eyes as he said, "Okay, just thought I'd check. I remember. It is always my honor to walk up to the school."

Still laughing about his comical American ways, Yori started up the trail with him. As they walked, he steeled himself, remembering the last time how much of an ordeal it was to get to the top, actually dreading having to to do that again. But amazingly, he found that once he started up the mountain, it wasn't a problem, and he found he really didn't mind doing it at all. Not the most sensible way to do it, he still thought, but... ...but now it felt right, sort of like a rite of passage. And he felt something he never had experienced before. He could feel it was right to do some things only because they were exactly that, the right things to do, no matter how inconvenient, with no analyzing for practicality or profit, no hedges or conditions. He never really could quite see it that clearly prior to this, and he realized it was because he now felt he had a responsibility to some one else, to Kim. It dawned on him how the simplicity of it was quite refreshing. What was even funnier was it also reminded him of his Bar Mitzvah and some of the things Rabbi Katz had said to him in the past.

They both made good time on the walk and before he realized it, they soon reached the top of the mountain. As they crossed over the bridge to the entrance of the school, Ron could see the old master there, waiting for him, a broad smile on his face. Once they reached the threshold, the two teens bowed formally to him, and Sensei solemnly greeted them in return.

"Come.", he said, "There is much that must be done."

Sensei led them into the dojo to the main training chamber, a huge room a hundred feet square. Normally there should have been students filling the entire area, training in the ancient art of Tai Shing Pek Kwar, the sounds of combat and yells of chi constantly perforating the air. Ron could still sense the energy imbued into the room, perceiving the scents of incense, bamboo, well rubbed oak and willow, even clean sweat and steel. But now the chamber was empty, the silence hanging heavy in the air as their soft footsteps echoed back and forth across its expanse. The blunted swords, the bo sticks, the nunchaku, the sais, and all of the other training weapons of various kinds that they employed were hung up on the walls, out of use. On a lone table in the center of the room, the Lotus Blade sat in its glass encased box, a soft glow emanating from it, but was otherwise inert.

But as soon as Ron came close, it suddenly came alive. The blade began to quiver with energy, a humming sound reverberating from it.

Sensei paused and turned to Ron, smiling, "The visions were true. The blade recognizes that you are ready."

Ron could only gaze back at him in awe. The three of them approached, and none spoke until they stopped before the gleaming sword. The old master turned again to Ron and regarded him with a serious look.

"Young Stoppable." he said gravely, "The time has come. The blade is ready for a master, but to be the master of the blade, you must be willing to accept the responsibility."

Ron's face went blank.

'Master of the blade?', he thought, 'What does Sensei mean?'

Thoughts rushed through his head. There was a time Ron would have blustered with exuberance, hamming it up, thinking that he was about to get some neat power or ability he could show off to everyone at school. He just knew the chicks would love it, and then they'd be hanging all over him in admiration. 'That would be so cool!', was the thought that first rushed into his head. But what surprised him then was honestly thinking to himself, 'Am I ready for this? Do I really have what it takes?' He shrank back a step, not expecting the emotions that ran through him. He was awed, surprised that he had really started this journey to... ...what? Ultimate knowledge? Self-enlightenment? He thought, 'Why didn't I think of these things before?...'

'And when did I begin to be this analytical of my abilities?', he worried, 'or more accurately the lack of them?' Normally he was a realist, and Heaven knows, definitely not a student of the mystical. He was simply pragmatic when opportunities like this happened. His thinking was always 'do the right thing', though you gotta look out for yourself. That was just common sense. There was no harm in taking advantage if no one got hurt. But then he remembered how this often led to him doing some inconvenient thing that would irritate Kim to no end. She would harsh on him, like telling him to keep his head in the game or to stay focused on the mission. But he wasn't being distracted! He was just grabbing the opportunities that presented themselves... ...Wasn't he?

That bothered him. It brought him back to the one nagging peeve Kim always had where her judgment of his maturity was concerned, and this had forced himself to analyze the good and bad aspects of his personality. On the negative side, he knew he wasn't as smart as Kim, and though he had gotten a little better at it lately, his work ethic still left a lot to be desired, especially if the work held no interest for him. He hadn't wanted to admit it, but it became hard to deny when she started pointing out to him all those times he would do something immature and selfish, like when he abandoned her campaign for student body president to manage her opponent's election efforts, or the time he tried to use Jack Hench's molecular muscle enhancer ring because he thought his new muscles would make him a man, and especially how he totally wigged out on the money he got from his naco royalties that one time.

This was compounded even further by all the times on missions where he would accidentally disrupt things and cause Kim to lose the bad guys, get themselves captured, or lose the stuff they were supposed to get. And it was always Kim or Rufus who had to get them out of the mess he created. True, he had a few occasional bright flashes of brilliance when he actually did something right, like when he was able to retrieve the Ray X machine from Drakken's lair that time Kim had that awful cold, or when he saved all the cheerleaders and Mr. Barkin from Gill at Camp Wannaweep, and there was also the mission when they fought the Señor Seniors the first time, when he pulled that cool move and saved Kim from the spinning tops of doom. But mostly, he usually screwed things up. Consistency was definitely not his forte, except probably in making those mistakes in the first place.

The only bright spot, significant as it was being on the positive side, was that he was completely dedicated to helping her, was always there for her when she needed him on a mission, and that most importantly his loyalty could not be disputed. Kim knew she could always count on him to be there for her, in one way or another. They had their enduring friendship, no matter what... ...until things had changed.

Now, it was no longer right. As her sidekick, her friend, it was okay to be that impotent. It wasn't that critical for him to be capable. Kim always handled that. But with the relationship being deeper, he felt now he needed to be more for her. She deserved more from someone who was going to be as close to her as he was now, not only tactically and strategically, but also emotionally, especially emotionally. So it grated when it dawned on him how much less he had been concerned about her needs than he was of his own, particularly during missions. Yes, there were times he would do things for Kim out of his friendship for her, like when he went all the way to the Amazon jungle just to recover that rare Amazon flower, the pollen of which was needed to save Kim from disappearing out of existence altogether. At the time it didn't even bother him that she had unnecessarily put herself at risk of that fate just by going out on a date with Josh Mankey. But the point was that he just didn't do things like that for her all that much, because it wasn't that big an issue back then. He was 'only' her best friend, so it seemed alright. He hadn't been thinking about going this far with her... ...then.

But now...

Now he felt the overwhelming and profound need to make as much of a commitment to her as she had to him, to elevate that kind of sacrifice for her to be the norm, to put her needs above his own, and he could see it would require a greater self-discipline, something he had assiduously tried to avoid in the past. 'When did I really start thinking this way?', he asked himself. But the answer was immediately apparent.

It was after the kiss. That first real kiss...

He realized that soon after the prom. The moodulator kiss wasn't... ...really her. But this kiss was entirely, overwhelmingly her, from deep within her soul. That's when he began to change. It was hard at first, because his attention span wouldn't cooperate, but he remained dogged about it. His concentration improved. His thinking got more organized. His attention to details was better, and soon he no longer was looking for those short cuts which always seemed to mess him up. When he stopped doing that, he was surprised to see he really didn't need them. Before long, he found he could dive into his chores and expected school work load without being so upset or aggravated about it. The results were soon noticeable, and by then even Kim had discerned he had pulled up those two course grades and gave him a good 'Way to go, Ron!' cheer for his efforts. That was when he realized it wasn't that he couldn't do it before. He just didn't have a reason until now, and his focus on Kim totally gave him the discipline he needed.

And when he really thought about it, what drove him more to do it than any one point was the fact that despite all his faults and deficiencies, Kim was still there, accepting him as he was, always forgiving and tolerating him. And the more he thought about that, the more he wondered why all these years she had even put up with him in the first place. He wasn't sure he would have, if their positions were reversed...

Sensei cleared his throat gently. Ron's thoughts came back to the present, turned back to consideration of the Lotus Blade. He had a choice to make, and he knew now he was fully committed. Looking at the sword, the first thing that came to mind was that he had always admired Kim's steadfast commitment to people, always using her abilities to help others in need. That told him that if he could master the Mystical Monkey Power, then he could, and should, do no less than she. He could and would accept the full responsibility of the gift. Making that decision, he realized, was humbling at the least, and frightfully dangerous at the worst.

And it was still so amazing to him how one kiss could change his whole world...

"Sensei,", said Ron solemnly, "You know I will do my best, but you also know I wasn't all that good last time I was here. Sure, I have the Mystical Monkey Power, and I can call the Lotus Blade and all that, but I can't truly use it. The power seems to only come when it wants to come."

The old master had a serene look on his face as he answered, "Ah, young one, it is true that the Mystical Monkey Power must be controlled or it will control you. But your soul has now revealed itself. What is in your heart is pure, and the Mystical Monkey Power senses this. You are growing up. You are accepting responsibility for your future, and responsibility for others for whom you care. Before this, like a child, you left those duties to other caretakers and did not worry about them, knowing they would shield you from harm. Now, your conscience and your will have awakened and have summoned you to assume the responsibility of the power as an adult. When that occurred, the Lotus Blade awoke and called for you."

Uncertain as to what that meant, Ron asked, "Uh, so am I supposed to carry the blade around as its master, then?"

The old master grinned, "I apologize, young Stoppable. I did not explain correctly. Being a 'master of the blade' means that you have mastered the Mystical Monkey Power. Although a true master can properly wield the Lotus Blade when needed, this is its home and where it belongs. The safety and essence of the Yamanuchi school relies upon it being here."

"Okay...", he said, pausing,"So if I accept this, will I then become a master?"

"After long study and hard work, yes. You have only reached the first level as an apprentice, which was granted you by the power of the idols. Now you are ready for the next level, as a true student. In time, you may become wise enough and learned enough to advance to the third and last level, as master."

"But what about Monkey Fist? Won't he sense all this and try to stop me or something?"

Sensei's brow furrowed at the mention of the villain and he replied, "Monkey Fist's heart is black and corrupted. He cannot hear the blade's call now. He thinks himself a master. In truth, he is only adept at using the raw force, and there is so much more than that. But make no mistake. There will come a time in the future when he will challenge you for the Lotus Blade. It is a struggle you cannot lose. Only one shall walk away from that final battle with the power. He who is vanquished shall become nothing more than a walking shell, never to have a sound mind again. That danger is the main reason the blade called to you now, to prepare the rightful heir of the power for the struggle yet ahead. Now, are you prepared to face the challenge?"

He stared at the old master, "The rightful heir?"

Sensei nodded slowly, "You will come to understand that better in time, should you wish to proceed. But be aware. Accepting this responsibility can give you great gifts, but will incur significant risks as well."

Frozen in place, Ron's feelings welled up inside. He became unsure, scared, indecisive. In the past, this was nothing new for him. He would just procrastinate, or shrug off the decision. Now he couldn't do any of that. The decision was too important, way too important for sure. 'Sensei said I would only be here a short time.', he thought, 'But if I accept this destiny, my whole life will change.' He could see that if he shouldered this responsibility, the training would surely be heavy. He might have to be away from home for a very long time to complete it. 'Would I be separated from my family for that long?', he worried, 'Could I? From my family? From Kim?'. Various emotions conflicted within his conscience, fear shouting to him to run, to do nothing, to escape. But before he could respond, the image of Kim, alone, without him, filled his mind's view...

...No, he couldn't let that happen. He realized again, 'This affects Kim so much, as well as me. It really does affect her'... ...and that decided him. For the first time in his life other than to Kim, Rufus, or his parents, he trusted himself completely and willingly into the hands of another.

Very calmly, he answered in a whisper, "Sensei, I'm ready to face this challenge. Tell me what I must do."

Sensei smiled again, "You are now showing wisdom, young one. Come with me. You will only be here a few days, and then continue your training back home."

He turned to leave the room, motioning for Ron to follow him.

Astonishment registered on Ron's face as he followed the old master, exclaiming, "Back home? How can I do that, Sensei? I won't have anyone there to teach me!"

"But you will, young Stoppable!", said Sensei, turning to face him with his eager smile, "I have a close lifelong friend near to you, a true master of the art who will be able to teach you all you need to know."

'Wow!' Ron thought excitedly, 'I can stay close to home!'

"This is great! I can't wait to tell Kim!"

Sensei's face suddenly paled. The old master's mood became serious, "Ah. That, Stoppable-san, you should not do, just yet."

Ron's mien fell, "What? Oh, not again! She's my best friend! We tell each other everything!"

"She is not yet ready to hear of this."

"Not yet ready? What do you mean?"

Sensei paused and took a deep breath.

"That is something that you will soon learn.", he replied in a serious tone, "You have not yet realized all you need to know to make that decision. You must understand everything you are risking before you take such a step. As to Kim Possible, she herself is not yet ready to learn of your new journey, to accept what you will become. Just as you are finding your way to be the one to whom she would give her heart, so is she struggling with the same concerns in regard to you. But be assured, there will come a time when she will be able to accept everything you tell her about yourself. You will be able to tell her all, if you still choose to tell her then at all."

"But why wouldn't I? And when?"

"You must have patience, Stoppable-san.", replied the old master, "Only you can decide if it is right to tell her. As to when, you will know when that time arrives. But more importantly, you must understand that the decision is one that may unexpectedly be made for you by outside forces. If so, you must await it and recognize it for what it is. Why this must be will also become apparent in good time."

"But! But, Sensei! I don't understand!..."

"No, Stoppable-san!", Sensei exclaimed forcefully, "You must trust me on this! It is the only way!"

Ron stared at him, confused. Kim wanted him to become more responsible, to show more discipline in his life. She was the responsible one, the mature one. Why would she not be ready to hear about his becoming everything she might want in her boyfriend?

'That so tanks!', he thought, frustrated and depressed, staring morosely at the tatami mats on the floor. Still, there was nothing for it, and he did trust Sensei to know what he was talking about.

Slowly, he looked up and replied in sad acceptance, "Okay, I still don't get it, Sensei. But I won't say anything."

Sensei nodded sagely, "In time, it all will become clear."

He turned to lead him away as Yori looked on, steadfast and smiling, although her eyes betrayed sadness as she watched him leave, a heaviness weighing on her heart. When Ron had answered the challenge, a feeling of pride had spread warmly through her. She always felt he was worthy. But she also had never let her special feelings for him break her composure, and had resolved long ago to never approach him on a more personal basis. She knew why from the last time they had met, when Sensei went missing and both Ron and Kim Possible helped her rescue the old master from DNAmy/Gorilla Fist. It was then she could see by the way he looked at Kim Possible just how much Ron cared for her even as she could also see he didn't quite realize it at the time. She was not going to interfere with that, not just because of his feelings for her, but because she could also see how deep Kim's feelings for him were as well, perhaps even more so. As they left the room, she quietly fell in line behind them, giving no sign of her emotions.

As they walked, Sensei explained that there was a ritual ceremony that had to be performed to initiate Ron properly into the school, and that it would be performed later that evening. In the meantime, the old master instructed him to rest in the guest quarters for the afternoon, suggesting he practice his meditation while he waited. He left Yori to guide him back to the same rooms he had used when he first came to Yamanuchi, the rice paper screens now replaced and new. Ron winced as he remembered that, glad now he knew better about how to open a simple sliding door. Yori said nothing to him as she showed him in, then quietly smiled and bowed, leaving him to his own devices. The room was exactly as it was the first time he was here. The furnishings were still spare as was the traditional Japanese bedding. One difference was there. Ron noticed a small bowl of fruits and nuts on a small corner table for his refreshment, a consideration for his higher status now, he supposed. But he wasn't hungry. His only concern now was what would soon come. Sensei's advice to meditate came back to him, and he decided to try, though from the beginning it was almost useless. His mind kept wondering back to Kim and what she was doing.

He soon lost track of time, and before he knew how late it was he was called out by a white robed acolyte and taken to a part of the temple he had never seen before. It was a shrine room deep within the mountain, a beautiful place, serene and peaceful in its nature. He would later learn that it was a special place of meditation for the masters of the school, a quiet chamber with soft light and tatami mats lining the entire floor. A small statue of Lord Toshimiru occupied one corner and was the site of a small shrine. Numerous banners of Kanji and Hiragana script lined the walls, detailing seventeen hundred years of wisdom throughout the school's history. A mellow incense filled the air with sandalwood scents.

It was then that Sensei formally initiated Ron into the Yamanuchi school as a true student of the order, taking him to the second level of mastery. The old master did this by invoking the power of the Lotus Blade itself. The encased sword was already there, placed upon the floor, the glassed lid open. Its humming eerily filled the room with a steady tone that drenched the senses. Calmly, Sensei instructed Ron to sit in lotus position in the center of the room, and to begin a meditation exercise. As he did so, Sensei himself knelt before the blade, facing him. Ron settled himself on the floor, then quietly closed his eyes. He wasn't sure if the power of the Lotus Blade was the cause, but somehow he found he was able to enter the meditative state easily. The old master started to drone the ritual phrases steadily, calling upon the power of the enchanted weapon. It levitated up out of its casing, hanging mid-air in the room, its tip pointed upward towards the sky, the amber sheen around it continuing to glow and expand, getting brighter and brighter. Then the sword shifted position, the point turning downward towards Ron. Sitting unmoving on the floor in the middle of the room, Ron's eyes remained closed as Sensei spoke the sacred words of the ancient ceremony.

In a sudden flash, the amber sheen shot out of the sword and hit Ron, enveloping him completely. He did not react in any way, remaining motionless in the lotus position as the brilliant golden energy lifted him up into the clouds of mist-like incense that formed throughout the chamber. He could feel himself rising up, feel the energy of the sword filling him with the Mystical Monkey Power just like the monkey idols had done so long ago when he, Rufus, and a holographic Kim Possible fought Monkey Fist for them. But this time, the power was more intense. It was not just raw physical magic. Now there was an element of intelligence and wisdom that seemed to flow into him from it, a completeness of spirit which the original idols did not convey. Suspended in time and space, his thoughts raced as images of things and places bombarded his mind. For some strange reason he was mildly amused that he wasn't panicking like he usually did in unknown situations like this which he found threatening, then realized it was because he was too struck with awe. Instead of fear, there was Curiosity. Attention. And Realization. There were also moments which left him stunned and surprised, and there were some moments that left him greatly troubled.

He saw the monkey idols again just like he had seen them before, again with the same green-yellow glowing eyes, but this time the energy they emitted was also green-yellow, not amber, feeling very evil. Monkey Fist was also there in a large room he didn't recognize. He couldn't understand the situation, but it filled him with dread. The scene shifted. He saw Kim, dressed in mission mode in a large aircraft hangar of some kind. She was screaming in pain, badly injured and clutching a broken leg. She was in danger as huge broken rocks, boulders and fragments of steel girders were falling all around her. The image shifted again. He saw Shego blazing like a green sun with her plasma energy all around her in the shape of a huge phoenix-like raptor, the wings rampant in a fifty foot span with foot long talons extended for battle. The beak opened for attack while she flew at the center of the predatory spirit as its heart, laughing like a maniac. Another image flashed through where he saw Shego again, blazing with the power once more, holding Kim off the ground by her tank top in one hand while she prepared to blast her with a plasma bolt from the other. Kim seemed so small and young somehow, helpless and less capable than she usually would be, as if to augment the deficit of power between her and her arch-foe.

Before Shego could strike, things changed once more. The next vision showed Ron and Kim together during the holidays, exchanging Christmas gifts on Christmas Day, only she was mad at him for some reason. She was standing in her living room arguing with him about something. He didn't have time to figure that out as another vision came through showing him riding a really cool motorcycle, the wind laying his hair back. Kim was holding on to him from behind as the bike screamed down a highway in the brisk winter air, her arms around his chest, her head laying tightly against his back. Her long red hair blew loose in the wind, and it was her eyes... ...Oh, God, the look in her eyes simply took his breath away.

He was wrenched away from that by the sight of himself running and scrambling through a rock corridor which was rapidly breaking apart around him, massive rocks and huge chunks of carved stone crashing all about. Monkey symbols screamed out from the walls that were yet undamaged, seeming ready to jump out and attack him at the slightest provocation. He dived into a small chamber just as the ceiling crashed down behind him, smashing his arm into the wall. He howled in pain, feeling the bones of his forearm snap. Another boulder crashed nearby, throwing him off his feet, inexplicably smashing him onto a pile of broken rubble. He looked up, dazed, watching the ceiling as it broke apart, starting to fall down and crush him. And he could sense how glad he was to have done it, because somehow he knew Kim was safe.

Then there was the last image, the one which left him so absolutely stunned, so emotionally fulfilled, his purpose for existing so clearly defined and reaffirmed, even as it seemed to just fade in, almost unexpectedly. He was inside some type of jet aircraft, lying on his back, feeling sicker than he had ever felt in his life, every muscle screaming at him, barely able to move. It took every iota of energy for him to even try it. He was groggy and in pain, though it was dulled somehow. His eyesight was first blurry, then slowly cleared, and his vision was completely filled with Kim's iridescently emerald eyes, framed by her face in deep concern, tears on her cheeks, fiery red hair falling down around him like the rays of the sun at dusk. Still, it was her eyes that commanded his attention, for they had become a window inside to her innermost feelings, to her heart, and he was so astonished to see his reflection there, a reflection of a Ron Stoppable he had never imagined could ever exist.

And the deep well of her soul reflected how he had always felt about her, and didn't truly know until then.

He felt like he spent billions of eons in that blaze of energy, unending in time, space, eternity, the sense of forever etched like fire into his soul, yet it was only minutes after Sensei first invoked the blade that the amber sheen began to ebb and gently set his body back down on the tatami mats of the shrine room. Throughout the entire ceremony, Sensei had continued to intone the chants, speaking the sacred words. As he finished the final phrases, the Lotus Blade quietly turned sideways and settled back into its case. The amber sheen became more and more subdued until it was shining at the original glow Ron had seen when he first arrived at the school. The humming that had continued steadily throughout, and had never stopped, remained. Ron opened his eyes and looked at Sensei, who was gently smiling. The old master stood up and walked over to him.

"I never saw before, did I?", Ron whispered, amazed at what he had just experienced, "Not like this."

"Few ever do, young Stoppable.", Sensei said quietly, proudly, "You have proven yourself. Even without the power of the Lotus Blade, I believe you would have eventually come to a true realization. But with the challenges you now face, the Lotus Blade chose to bring you to wisdom at this crucial time."

"But how did... ...how did it know?"

"It always knew. As I had always known. It was simply that you had not yet seen."

"Yes.", Ron replied thoughtfully, "Yes, I know now. Like with Kim, I knew there was something there the whole time, but I see now. I have always loved her."

The old master smiled widely, "That is a part of it, the crucial element. Now that you know your heart and your mind, you can better plan your path through life. Your goals can be attained, the challenges met and conquered."

"But Sensei.", he said with worry, "There were images. I couldn't completely see it all. There was danger, both to her and me. I felt this sense of, what is it? Sacrifice? Of loss? She's in danger, Sensei. I know it! I have to tell her, please!"

Sensei slowly nodded his head and looked at Ron with as much support as he could, answering, "Be at peace young one. It is not time yet. As I said, the right time will come. What you sense is the future."

Ron frowned, "Is something bad going to happen? Is that why you brought me here?"

Sensei closed his eyes for several moments, his brow furrowed for a long time before he looked back at him.

"Difficult to see. Always in motion, the future is.", he replied, "It is never easy to say for sure. But your senses show that sacrifice and loss could very well be your fate."

Ron was afraid now, the fear welling up again, yet he remained strangely calm.

"So, something is going to happen? Something I need to prevent?"

"Ah.", Sensei said, a penetrating look in his eyes, "Trying to prevent future events can be a dangerous thing, one that must be done very carefully. Yet with wisdom, it can be achieved."

"Will I have to sacrifice something for Kim, or her for me?"

Sensei looked away and sighed, gathering his thoughts before turning back to him.

"Tell me, Stoppable-San,", he asked, "Would you give your life to save Kim Possible?"

Startled at the question, Ron stood up and stared at Sensei before answering, but there were no qualms in his answer, "Of course, Sensei! Anytime, anyplace! I would give anything to save her in any way I can. You know that."

"I know.", Sensei replied softly with a smile, "But if the events were reversed, could you accept that sacrifice from her for you?"

This time, Ron was almost speechless, "I... ...don't know."

It horrified him to think of living in a world without Kim.

Sensei smiled again and nodded, seeing his conflict, "Consider it, young one. I believe you will understand why you should. But my concern was more towards how your Kim Possible would answer the question."

Ron did think about it, and was appalled. Live without Kim? He couldn't even imagine how. The more he did consider it, he could see it was a question that one day would very likely have to be confronted, though he fervently prayed that would never come to pass. As to Sensei's mysterious reference to how Kim would handle life without him, he wasn't that sure what to make of that, or what Kim would say, mainly because he still wasn't quite sure about a lot of things going on in Kim's mind. Even as he meditated on all this, Sensei spoke again.

"Young Stoppable, sacrificing one's life to save another is the most noble thing one can do. But changing how you live to benefit another is harder. Yin and Yang, light and dark, good and evil, man and woman. The dualities must exist in balance for there to be harmony. The struggle to reach that balance is a difficult and harsh duty. If the work is rushed, a bad result will come of it. Both you and she have been through much conflict recently. Kim Possible must work her way through the internal conflicts she faces as you must work through yours. It will take time. She is not ready to accept you as you are on this new journey you now take to full understanding. You do not know everything you need to know to make the decision to tell her as well. This is why you must wait. Learn all you must know. Give her the time she needs. You will know when it is the right moment to completely open your heart."

Ron was stunned. 'What does he mean about Kim?', he thought, 'What problems would she have that are so bad she couldn't accept this?'

"Internal conflicts?" he posed tentatively to the old master.

"You have serious trials ahead of you, young Stoppable.", Sensei said in a grave voice, "Kim Possible must also face her own tests as well. This she must do by herself, and I believe she will succeed. Then she will be ready for you."

"But! But, Sensei!"

Sensei raised one hand, silencing Ron on the spot.

"You must trust me about this, my student.", he replied with gentle authority in his voice.

Ron didn't understand, and was only able to say desperately, "Are you sure, Sensei?"

The old master smiled serenely in answer. Ron sighed in resignation.

"Okay Sensei. I hope you're right. I really hope so."

"Come, then.", said Sensei with a contented look, "It is time to retire for this evening."

They left the room and Ron was handed back off to the white robed acolyte, who had waited outside the shrine room for them. He was then taken back to his quarters to rest. After his evening meal was brought to him, he ate in silence, thinking hard about Kim, about what Sensei saw in her, wondering just what it was she was going through. When the midnight bell rung, he went to bed, but didn't sleep well, still worrying about it all. The next morning, Yori came to wake him up, but found him already dressed and sitting in lotus position, trying to meditate again, and again having difficulty with it. She sat down opposite him and sat there patiently, knowing how troubled he was.

"I wasn't expecting this, Yori.", he finally said in a very quiet voice.

"Neither did I, Ron-san.", she replied in a soft whisper, "but I really am so happy for you. You are worthy. I have always felt it."

He looked up at her and smiled, "Thanks, Yori. You know, you've really been great. I can't tell you how much having you around has helped me."

She smiled back at him and bowed slightly, saying, "You are my friend, Ron-san. I am honored to know you, and to help."

Ron's attitude changed, becoming more formal. He changed over to a kneeling position and bowed to her, "You are my friend, too. You can call on me any time you need something."

"As you can also do with me.", she replied after assuming the same position in response, bowing as deeply.

He looked up at her then, thoughtful, "Just like I do with Kim, although..."

"Although, Kim is different in your thoughts.", Yori finished.

He gazed at her steadily before answering, "You always knew, didn't you?"

She smiled again and nodded, "I could see how you truly felt for Kim Possible, yes."

"And you didn't...? Uh, it was all right?"

Yori chuckled, "Ron-San. I am glad that you have come to realize your feelings for her. I have always felt that Kim Possible is your destiny. You were meant for her, as she is meant for you. I am content with that."

Ron didn't answer, nodding his thanks. He reached out and held her hand and she gave it a gentle squeeze.

"You must come now.", she finally said, "Sensei has called for you."

For the rest of the week, teacher and student spent virtually all of their waking hours together in long discussions and instruction. Many subjects were touched upon by the old master as he guided Ron through the thought processes that he knew were necessary for him to properly learn what he needed to know for this next level of training. Sensei also answered all his questions, on any subject, except for one. He still would not discuss anything about Kim. Ron only had to ask once, and Sensei told him again he must learn about that on his own. He knew then not to ask any more, though it bothered him greatly. Fortunately, he was able to put this aside to learn the meditative techniques, and he did begin to concentrate and sleep better with them. This was how Sensei prepared him over those seven days, for at the end of the week he revealed to Ron, by visions and sound, the final test of how he would have to face Monkey Fist.

When Ron heard and saw this, he went white as a sheet, for it revealed a greater reason to him why he could not yet say anything to Kim about how he felt about her, even if she was ready to hear it. He so wanted to tell her. He now knew why Sensei had warned him he had to wait about telling her about his abilitites, but this was different. This was about telling her he loved her. Sensei added that what he saw in those visions was not the entire answer, but they were the main reasons why he had to wait. Ron knew it was not the main reason. He showed no other emotion, steadfastly holding on to his composure, and accepting that this road he had started down was now indeed his destiny. There was no going back.

And then, he was done, ready to return to Middleton and begin his training there. Soon he was packed and ready to go. Sensei met him at the gate of the school and wished him well on his journey home. As before, he and Yori walked steadily down the trail to the highway without saying a word, content with each other's company. At the bottom of the mountain, he hugged her a long time in gratitude, as she did also in friendship before they parted and he boarded the bus that took him back to the airport. The rest of the trip back home was uneventful and passed quickly as Ron was too immersed in his thoughts to notice the passage of time. But it was good to finally be going home. He had hoped that things would not be too out of whack with him having been absent the whole week.

When he did finally get back, it struck him with some surprise that nobody seemed to have really missed him. Kim picked him up at the airport acting like he'd hardly been gone at all. He came through the airport entrance to the outside and saw her waiting there by her dad's car, dressed in her cheerleading outfit, her flaming red hair gently blowing in the wind, a welcoming smile on her face. He had seen her this way a thousand times before, yet now she...

She looked so different, so incredibly beautiful. He stood there a moment, realizing how thankful he was to Sensei for helping him understand how much he loved her. She smiled wider when she saw him and then ran up and gave him a hug and a quick kiss.

"Hey, Ron! How was your trip?", she asked eagerly.

Rufus popped out of nowhere and enthusiastically jumped up to Ron's face, excitedly chattering his pleasure at his human's return, asking repeatedly how things were in Japan, whether or not he enjoyed the trip, and if he brought back anything for him to eat. Ron greeted his pet for a few seconds before turning back to Kim.

"Just fine, Kim.", he answered cheerfully, "Sorry I didn't tell you in person before I left, but it was a last minute thing, you know."

Kim was fine with that, "No big. I got your message about leaving and taking care of Rufus. I figured there was some problem with the Mystical Monkey Power and the Lotus Blade or something."

"You had Wade check the sitch out, huh?"

Kim blushed a bit, "Well, yeah. I just wanted to make sure everything was all right, you know. And I did ask your parents if you needed help, but they said you would only be gone a week and that everything was taken care of. So what did you do?"

"Uh, right, Kim.", he said hesitantly, realizing suddenly he didn't have a good explanation to give her. He fudged as best he could.

"I was there to help, uh, with the transfer of power with the Lotus Blade. It was an important ceremony. They needed me since I'm the only one who has the power, except Monkey Fist, of course. But you know he wasn't going to help."

Kim looked at him goofy, saying, "Doy!", and then laughed, obviously meaning of course it went without saying, but she was not condescending about it.

"So you transferred your Mystical Monkey Power back into the Lotus Blade.", she said, "Well, I can see that would be useful to the school. It sure wasn't doing you much good."

"Yeah, it wasn't. You're right. It just seemed like the power needed to go to where it would be useful."

"That's good. So do you feel differently now?"

"Well, it's a mixed bag. I feel relieved, but a little uncomfortable too. But you don't have to worry about it. I just have to get used to the change."

He stared off in the distance contemplating that. Then he noticed Kim had stopped talking. He turned back to her and saw she was looking at him strangely.

"Are you okay? You look... ...different."

He looked at her innocently, "Who, me? No! No problems here, Kim. Glad to be home. It really was no big. By the way, I said 'hi' to Yori and Sensei for you."

She relaxed and said, "Thanks! I hope they're doing well."

"Just smooth sailing at Yamanuchi, Kim.", he replied, trying to act cool again but not really feeling it. In fact he wasn't feeling good about this at all. He hadn't technically lied, but he hadn't corrected her wrong assumptions either. He hated having to put her through this again, not telling her everything just like the last time he came back from Japan. But Sensei had made it very clear he had to wait... ...especially with the last vision he shared with him, the one facing Monkey Fist, then crashing walls and collapsing rooms...

For now, it seemed things were okay. The old master had indeed taken care of affairs back home, including securing his new instructor for him. As their conversation turned to what they were going to do for the evening, they made plans for nacos and a movie. Then Kim dropped him off at his house as she still had to go to Middleton College for cheer camp.

After she had left, Ron's next task was making arrangements to meet his teacher, and he was really, really stoked about this. It was so badical that his new teacher was going to be Kim's own grandmother! He knew that Nana was an expert in Peng Lang Chuang Kung Fu from the adventure at that gator farm in the Florida swamp in which Drakken tried to control the minds of the world's seniors. But he didn't know she had a connection with the Yamanuchi school...

"Though we have different styles,", he remembered Sensei saying to him, "we were great friends in those days, and we still are. We have always stayed in contact all these years. Now with you and Kim Possible together, it is a happy blessing that I will be able to see more of her."

He was so shocked, but then he was ecstatic. This was going to be sooooo cool!

Of course, he did have an issue with Sensei considering Florida as being 'near to him'.


	3. Chapter 3

Kim smiled and waved goodbye at Ron as she drove off, headed for cheer practice at Middleton College. But as soon as she turned the corner, she lost the smile, every emotion she had felt in the eagerness of seeing Ron turned to dust.

'Why?', she thought bitterly, 'He's doing it again. He's hiding something.'

She had felt so guilty when she asked Wade to monitor Ron at Yamanuchi, but not any longer. Now she was glad she pushed him into checking out the Japan sitch. And though it made him uncomfortable, Wade did as she asked and showed her the surveillance footage. It seemed innocuous enough until Yori met him... ...and hugged him. That really made her uncomfortable. At first, she told herself, 'No... ...he's just greeting an old friend. That's all.'. But it just bothered her so tremendously when she saw him hugging her so close like that, and on more than one occasion. She kept telling herself, 'No, it's nothing. He wouldn't do that...

But why didn't he say anything more about it? Why isn't he owning up to it?

'What was he up to?', she fumed, 'Was he secretly pining for Yori? Did I do something to make him do that? Arrgghhh!... ...Why did I even start this whole BF thing?'

She shook her head, growling to herself, angry that those thoughts even entered her mind.

'Come on!', she fumed to herself, 'This is Ron! He would never hurt me like that!'

'...Or would he? Okay, maybe it was unintentional. Maybe he didn't know what he was doing. After all he really didn't know anything about girls.'

But that only made her angrier...

'I'm his GF now!', she thought to herself, 'He should know! He should know better! I mean even Eric knew...!"

Anger raged through her, suddenly making the car lurch away from her control, almost driving itself off the road. Startled, she stopped the car on the shoulder, breathing hard, struggling to calm herself down. Why did he even enter her thoughts? Again! She swore she was never going to do that ever! She took a deep breath, cleared her mind, looking around and paying better attention to her surroundings. She realized she was way too distracted, and way overthinking the situation. A few more moments later, she calmed down enough to put the car back into drive and keep going. Although she no longer felt as agitated, she still felt angry, but not at Ron any more. No, she was angry that she would let herself be so affected by what had happened to her at the Junior Prom, had let herself be so fooled by that vile machine...

Her mood suddenly changed again, anger dissolving into depression when she thought how fortunate she was that Ron had come through the way he had...

Then she then felt ashamed. After all this really was Ron, her BFF. He was the only boy she knew who would never, ever hurt her. 'Okay.', she thought, trying to rationalize, 'So he had to go to Japan for this thing with Sensei and the Mystical Monkey Power. It's no big! It really is absolutely, totally unfair of me to think he would cheat on me like that! It's even worse for me to compare him to that merciless robot.'

She felt her heart break again. Yeah, a heartless automaton. Yet the promise of what she thought he had been, what they had together... ...oh God, how breathtakingly beautiful it was...

The voice suddenly appeared, chuckling to itself as it invaded her thoughts again.

'You still think you were sincere about that, don't you?', the cruel avatar said from deep inside, that demonic-like image of herself suddenly appearing in her mind's eye, 'You still think you meant it when you said you'd be his girlfriend.'

Enraged again, Kim slammed the voice back down into her unconscious. 'Shut up!', she shouted mentally, 'I would never mislead him like that! No way!'

Silence met her thoughts. The image had disappeared. But somehow, she could still sense it laughing at her far away in the distance. It made her afraid, so afraid her relationship with Ron was doomed to turn into yet another disaster. Sure, Ron had his little quirks. Okay, some big ones too. But what did that matter...?

But it mattered... ...God, it mattered.

It was one thing being BFF's. But being a boyfriend? Yes, she so wanted him to be that. She did. She tried to be so optimistic he could, prayed that he would, wished so much for it, so much so that she was sure she could adapt to the rest of his... ...ways. Realistically, logically, she saw that she should anyway. It was only fair. Nobody was perfect...

Eric was...

She berated herself again for thinking like that. It was a machine! Not human! It was unfair to demand that kind of perfection!

But somehow, that was what she wanted. She knew it. It wasn't right to ask that of him. But how could she not ask for what her heart truly desired? The agony was tearing her up. She didn't know what to do. She only knew that somehow, someway, she was the one who was failing to do this whole GF-BF thing right.

It was her fault, and she just didn't know how to make it right...

* * *

As soon as Kim dropped him off, Ron called Wade on his land line. Normally, getting hold of him like this had always aggravated him because it was such a nuisance. But without Kim or the Kimmunicator, it was the only way. It was a condition he meant to remedy soon. Wade picked up after only a single ring.

"Hi, Ron. What up?"

"Hey, Wade. Listen, I need to arrange a ride to Florida."

"Okay. What do you and Kim have going on down there?"

"Uh, nothing, Wade. This is just for me."

There was a pause.

"Just for you? You're doing a mission alone? Again?"

"No! No! It's not a mission. I just need a ride to Florida, and back. And forth. And back and forth on a regular basis, sort of."

"Uh-huh.", said Wade suspiciously, "Well if this isn't a mission, what's this for?"

"Well, I'm going to visit Kim's grandmother."

"Her Nana?", Wade asked, taken aback, "On a regular basis? What's this about, Ron?"

"Uhhhh."

Ron hesitated, suddenly finding himself tongue-tied, unable to tell him the real reason. He breathed out an exasperated sigh, trying to think of something.

"Ummm, uh... ...I'm thinking about doing the 'Chez Ron' thing, you know!", he blurted out, "Cooking! Yeah! Cooking! And Nana could teach me a lot about that."

There was a longer pause.

"Ron. That is so lame. Does Kim know about this?"

"No! But! But she's going to teach me! It's really what this is about!", Ron replied desperately, "So don't say anything! I'm going to tell her myself! As a surprise!"

"You really mean that?", Wade said, clear unbelief in his voice, "You want to learn cooking from Kim's Nana?"

"Yes, Wade. I promise!", said Ron, cringing slightly at the white lie, although it was true he always did want to learn her recipes. 'Somehow, I'll make up for it.', he thought.

"Well, okay." Wade said hesitantly, still sounding unconvinced, "I can set that up. I know some air cargo companies that go between Middleton and Florida on a regular basis. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Thanks, Wade.", Ron replied, relieved that Wade seemed to accept his explanation.

"By the way,", he added, "you know this is really getting inconvenient for me to always have to call you on a land line like this when I have to talk to you."

"So? Get a cell phone."

"Can't.", Ron said morosely, "My dad won't let me have one. He still thinks it's just a fad."

"I thought that was his opinion of cable TV."

"Well, yeah. He still thinks that, too."

"Riiiiight.", said Wade.

"I was thinking. Any chance I could get my own Kimmunicator?"

Wade chuckled.

"Well, actually you're in luck. Kim already has me on it. She asked me to whip one up for you."

"Really? That's great, Wade!, Ron said, pleasantly surprised, "Thanks again."

"But I really think I should tell Kim about this Florida thing."

"No, no, no, Wade!", interrupted Ron quickly, "Please! Let me do that! Okay? I really want to surprise her."

"But it's not right, Ron. This is a non-mission oriented use of resources. She should really know."

"And I will tell her!", Ron argued, "Just leave it to me! Besides, you owe me a favor."

"Favor? What favor?", Wade asked defiantly, "I don't owe you a favor!"

"Sure you do! I figure you owe me for putting that homing microchip in me."

There was a sharp gasp on the other end of the line.

"I knew you would eventually find that out!"

"Oh come on, Wade! As many times as you managed to track me down, even I had to come to that conclusion eventually!"

"Kim told you!"

"Well, yeah.", Ron answered glumly.

"Hmmm.", mused Wade, thinking through this sitch, "Wait a minute. It was Kim's idea in the first place. So I still don't see why I owe you a favor for that."

"What? Kim's idea?", Ron said, perturbed his girlfriend has done that, "I'm going to have to discuss that with her."

"See?' chuckled Wade, "It was for your own good, you know. If anything, you owe me."

"No way, man.", Ron said slyly, "Besides I think you'll let me tell her about Florida myself anyway."

"Oh? How's that?"

"Let's just say that you'll let me tell her in my own way and I won't tell her you microchipped her, too."

An even bigger gasp came out of the phone.

"You wouldn't!"

"Hey, I have a girlfriend and I'm not afraid to squeal."

"How did you?... ...oh, Rufus."

"Hey! I can figure things out too!"

"Sure you can...", Wade said in annoyance.

"Whatever!", replied Ron, irritated, "So it's a deal? You'll let me tell her?"

"Yeah, okay.", Wade said gloomily, knowing he was cornered, "I'll have the Kimmunicator ready in a couple of days. Kim should give it to you then."

"Great!", Ron added contentedly, "See you later!"

Wade scowled as he cut off the connection.

* * *

Two days later, Kim met him at Bueno Nacho, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Hi, Ron.", she said coyly as she slid into the booth seat opposite him.

She was carrying a small box with her.

"Here.", she said, handing it over, "I had Wade make this up for you. I figured it was about time you had your own."

He opened up the box and took out the Kimmunicator, a twin to her own unit.

"Thanks, Kim", he said, smiling back at her with true appreciation, "I've really wanted to have this for some time.", and he leaned over the table and kissed her.

"But I wish it could have been a surprise.", she said, frowning slightly, "Wade told me how you spoiled that."

"Not my fault, KP.", he replied in defense, "All I did was ask him about getting one because I thought I would need a better way to stay in touch with him and you. He just told me straight out."

She grumbled under her breath, but didn't push it.

"Well, I thought the same thing about you staying in touch.", she added, "But he was also mumbling about something concerning Nana, and blackmail?"

She eyed him questioningly.

"Oh, that!", Ron replied innocently, "That was just a joke, Kim!"

"Yessss?", she said suspiciously.

"You see.", Ron said, "He wanted to tell you about what I was doing, but I said I would tell you myself. Of course, I wish he hadn't said anything about that. That was supposed to be my surprise."

"I guess we're even then. But he didn't tell me exactly what it was either. So, what is it?"

"Well, you know how much I like to cook?"

"Yeah."

"Um, I'm going to take some trips down to Florida to learn cooking from your grandmother!"

Her head snapped back in surprise.

"Huh?", she said, looking at him, wide-eyed, "Why down there? Aren't there plenty of places to learn here?"

"Errr, Uh-huh. But she's going to do it for free! And she's got some really cool recipes, you know. I could learn a lot from her."

"Hmmm, yeah, I can see that. It just seems so... ...out of the way."

"It's no big!", he said, enthusiastically wide-eyed, "I don't mind going that far for a good thing. Besides, Wade's already arranged the transport, and I'll be there and back in no time each time I go."

She stared at him a moment, then sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, Ron. I'm sure Nana will give you some really great training."

He thought, 'You don't know how right you are.'

"Sure she will!", he said, grinning, "It's going to be spanking!"

She groaned and gave him that "child-like wonder" look again.

* * *

Later that week Ron hitched his first ride on the cargo plane to Florida. That was an added benefit since he would be able to take his scooter along to beat the need for local transportation. After the plane landed, he rode out to the retirement home where Nana lived. He knocked on the door and Nana answered it, smiling when she saw him.

"Why, Ronald! It's good to see you!"

"Hi, Nana! Good to see you too."

"It's so nice of you to visit, young man. Where's Kimberly and the family?"

Surprised and puzzled, he stared, "Uh, Nana, it's just me."

The elderly woman looked back at him blankly and said, "Oh, you're here alone? So there's something you need from me? What is it that I can do for you, Ronald?"

"Uh, Nana, don't you know? Didn't Sensei talk to you?'

"Sense who, dear? My, you young people and your nicknames."

Ron was perplexed.

"Er, Nana.", he said, "I just came back from Japan, from the Yamanuchi school? Your old friend Sensei said you would be my teacher here? Is your hearing aid on?"

She frowned at him, "My hearing aid's just fine, Ronald. There's no need to be rude."

"Uh, sorry, Nana."

Her demeanor lightened again and she was all smiles, "It's okay, Ronald. But while you are here, would you help me with this couch? I've been trying to get it moved over to the other side of the room."

Scratching his head, Ron answered glumly, "Uh, sure. Glad to help."

She stepped aside to let him in. He moved towards the couch as she walked in behind him.

Unexpectedly, someone's hand seized his right shoulder and wrenched him backwards, causing him to yelp. At the same time another hand grabbed his right wrist, whipping him off his feet in a circular motion back towards the far side of the room. Screaming, Ron flew head over heels, smashing into the far wall directly over the couch, his back smacking it with a dull thud. Upside down, he slid gently onto the couch until his head nestled into one of the seat cushions, his body scrunched down over it. Looking up between his legs, he saw Nana unwind from her attack stance and slowly walk over to him. She knelt until her eyes were only a little higher than his.

Looking harshly at him from that skewed angle, she asked, "Now, young student, what have you learned?"

"Um, never turn your back on a grandmother?"

She grimaced harder at him.

"Didn't you sense that something wasn't quite right in how I answered your questions?", she demanded.

"Well yeah, Nana, but I didn't think..."

"Think nothing, Ronald!", she said, cutting him off sharply, "Sense everything! When you are in battle, or in imminent danger, taking the time to think will cause your defeat. You must learn to execute your art without thinking. The thinking must be done before the first blow comes to pass."

"Uh, right, Nana. I get it."

"Perhaps.", she replied, unconvinced, "We will see. And as you are my student now, you may address me as 'Sifu' when we are alone. In the company of others, 'Nana' will do. I gave you the opportunity to identify something was wrong before I attacked. You must hone your abilities better to sense any attack so you can respond properly. In the future, I will not give you such obvious warnings. Do you understand me?"

Ron looked wide-eyed at his girlfriend's grandmother. 'No wonder she beats Kim two out of three', he thought.

"I understand, Na... ...Sifu."

"Good!"

Her demeanor lightened again, going back into her kindly grandmother mode. Smiling, she helped him to his feet and brushed him off.

"There now, all's right as rain again. Go ahead and move that couch over there like I wanted and then come on into the kitchen. I've got lemon squares baking."

She quietly left the room while he got up and rubbed his neck and worked some new aches out of his back, yelping a little with each snap and crack. He moved the couch the way she wanted it, then joined her in the kitchen. She set the lemon squares on the kitchen table as he sat down, Rufus immediately jumping up out of his pocket and scarfing two of them into his mouth before he was even settled in his chair. She spoke again as he bit into one himself.

"My old friend has told me of your progress.", she said, "That's good. We should be able to continue your training without interruption. From what I understand, Kimberly and the rest of the family are not aware of what you are doing here or why."

"That's right, uh, Sifu. Sensei told me not to say anything yet."

"Good. Sensei and I agree on that. I trust he has explained the reason why?"

Ron stopped chewing for a moment.

"Yes, Sifu. I... ...I think I understand", he replied grudgingly, resuming his chomping. He knew he still didn't, not fully.

"Good.", she said succinctly.

He continued to munch on lemon squares.

"So.", he said tentatively, "Sensei told you about the, uh, inheriting the Mystical Monkey Power prophecy thing and all that?"

Nana smiled to herself as she turned and placed the cooking sheets and other utensils she had used for baking the pastries in the sink and opened up the faucet. She started to clean the dishes as she answered quietly.

"Yes, Ron. I know all about that. But you see, there are prophecies, and there are... ...'prophecies'."

He was silent for another moment as he munched away, wondering, waiting for her to say more.

"Uh, Sifu? What do you mean?"

She delayed answering, finishing up washing the cooking sheets first.

"There will come a time when that will be made plain to you.", she finally said, "For now, we must concentrate on your training."

He frowned in irritation.

'It's always later!', he griped mentally to himself, 'First there's these things with whatever's going to happen with Kim in the future that Sensei says I have to learn on my own, and now 'prophecies', whatever they are!'

Nana asked, "So, they know you're visiting me on a regular basis, correct?"

"Yeah.", Ron said morosely, "I told Kim I was coming down here to have you teach me cooking."

Nana stopped her washing and looked at him with slightly raised eyebrows, "Cooking? So you lied?"

Ron stuttered, backpedaling.

"Well, not really. Um, an exaggeration, maybe?"

Seeing he was caught, his shoulders slumped.

"Heck! It was the best I could come up with at the time!", he said in exasperation.

"Hmmm.", she said after considering him a space, "Under the circumstances, I will let this pass. Your intent to deceive was not meant to be hurtful. But in the future, you must learn better discretion."

He pouted as she turned back to the dishwashing.

"However,", she added with a smirk, "I consider it reasonable as a cover for your presence here. We'll make it a truth after the fact. You said you would learn cooking from me. So you will, starting with the lemon squares."

Ron perked up, "Coool! I really wanted to know, anyway."

* * *

And he thought, 'Wow! Cooking and Kung Fu! This is way so much better!'

Why didn't it work?

Dr. Drakken paced the floor of the timeshare lair, his thoughts racing in desperate chaos, trying to understand what had happened, and it certainly didn't help him to do his thinking here. Gads! He hated this place! Unfortunately, it was the best they could do for the moment.

As usual after his arrest and return to prison, it wasn't long before Shego was able to break out and rescue him. Not that he couldn't do it himself, but it was so much easier with her around. Shego, of course, simply could not be contained in any jail for long. He was annoyed that he had to wait two weeks as Shego had temporarily lost her plasma blasts after Kim Possible knocked her into the command signal tower at the Middleton Bueno Nacho which gave her that huge electrical shock. But they eventually returned so that she could escape and then break him out.

As he nervously walked back and forth, she sat quietly in a chair reading the latest issue of Villains Digest, looking at the want ads for new employment, or so he always thought. It irritated him to no end. She usually enjoyed teasing him by asking his opinion as to whether she should take this job or that because her present employment was so unsatisfactory, needling him until he blew up at her. Then she would just laugh and tell him to relax, that she was 'only kidding'. She had such an aggravating gift for that. Worse, he fretted about it constantly because he could never tell if she really was kidding or not.

But something wasn't right now. She was different, not even trying to tease him anymore about anything. In fact, he couldn't remember her laughing or smiling ever since she had gotten him out of the high security penitentiary. That irked him even though things seemed to have more or less gotten back to normal. He mused it over briefly, remembering that this all seemed to start after the fiasco at Bueno Nacho headquarters...

'Bah!', he thought then, 'This is distracting me!'

He turned his concentration back to his original line of thought, the Diablo scheme, which really blackened his mood further.

'That plan had been absolutely brilliant!', he fumed silently, 'Even Shego, the perennial pessimist, had been enthusiastic about it at the end. And still, it had failed just like all the others! Why? Why did it fail?'

He was angrier about this than he had ever been about any of his other failures. Never had he gotten so close to defeating Kim Possible with one of his plans as he had with this one. Never! Then it occurred to him how it was even more ironic just how badly his sidekick herself was vexed by that failure, even more than him! This really said something considering how incredibly incensed he himself was about it. They had come so, so close that time! Only to fall so far yet again!. Often had he sworn revenge against Kim Possible for her interference in his plans for world domination, but this time, oh, this time, he was positively obsessed with it, almost to the point of a rage that would not ever recede, which was why he was so surprised when he realized Shego was even far more gone down that road.

His thoughts idly derailed again, going back to his long time partner in crime. Shego had always been a loyal sidekick, even if she was frequently disparaging, demeaning, and argumentative which, granted, was aggravating enough. Usually those moods usually went away after a while and she actually was fairly pleasant most of the time...

Not anymore. Her mood was darker, more evil. Normally that would be a plus, but it was a bit much, even for him. The lighter quips and airs that interspersed those aggravating auras had completely disappeared, and there was this cloud of everpresent anger that pervaded her entire being; ominous, dangerous, and getting downright boring now that he thought about it. He knew when it first began. It was when Kim Possible had kicked her into that tower at the Bueno Nacho. He thought she had survived it okay. She had no serious physical injuries that he could see in the police van when they were arrested, other than losing her plasma blasts for two weeks. But now he wasn't sure. Her mood was really out of character, and she just stayed ticked off at just about everything around her, including her boss, which he had to keep in mind actually could be dangerous. Any little thing he said was liable to set off an angry outburst from her over the most insignificant detail. It had to stop. He promised himself he was going to have to talk to her about it at some point...

"Blast it!", he cried out.

He castigated himself mentally for derailing his trail of thought again. He pointedly ignored it for the moment and again wondered aloud, "Why didn't it work?" It was, indeed, by far the best plan he ever devised. He had laid out every detail, considered every fact, laid the trap so carefully, and Kim Possible fell for it completely and totally. Yet in the end, she still broke out of the traps, both physical and mental, and defeated him. He considered all the aspects again, one by one.

"I had all the elements in play.", he muttered to himself, "The diablos, the technology, the synthodrone hottie that had her spirit so completely crushed when she found out what it really was. She should have never recovered from that in time to stop me! After that, it would have been far too late for her to do anything about it. And then of course, the buffoon..."

He stopped suddenly, his face transformed into a look of sudden comprehension, a 'Eureka!" moment. The pieces clicked into place in his mind. Quickly, he went to his monitor console and pushed a few buttons, looking up on the monitor to see the Bueno Nacho website coming up on screen. He typed commands onto the keyboard and tried to log in, but found he had already been locked out, which he half expected. Growling with irritation, he then typed in a couple more commands, snickering to himself, knowing he still had a few tricks up his sleeve like the backdoor failsafe he had left in the network just in case. To his great satisfaction, it worked. Obviously the new management had yet to smoke out all of his computer access codes. Now he was able to hack into the Bueno Nacho mainframe and search for what he wanted.

"The company is in such a mess anyway. Bah!", he said to himself, "It served its purpose."

He navigated to the security section and the files from the monitoring cameras in the lower floors of the building. Selecting the right date and time, he scanned the footage until he got to the part for which he was looking, loaded it up, pressed the enter key. The playback started. Almost immediately, a scene appeared with Kim Possible and her sidekick tied up in the basement of Bueno Nacho headquarters. Drakken turned the sound up...

"Drakken's finally won! I should have stuck to baby-sitting!"

"All right, K.P. This pity fiesta is over! Drakken hasn't won! He played you! Now it's payback time!"

Drakken replayed the footage several times before turning away in disgust.

"How could I have missed that!', he ranted, smashing his fists loudly into the console, "I did not take the buffoon into account!"

Finally taking notice of his outburst, Shego lifted her eyes up and asked, "Uh, what'd you say, Dr. D?"

"Oh, nothing, Shego.", he replied darkly, "Go back to your reading."

"Whatever.", she replied disinterestedly, but still he noticed the subtle anger in her voice. And it was not derision. It was definitely anger.

He would have preferred the derision, but for now he put it aside, as he had just experienced an epiphany. Drakken realized that he had beaten Kim Possible, had actually beaten her, for real. The traps and all his planning did indeed work. However, where he failed was that he did not account for the team of Kim Possible and the buffoon, Ron Stoppable. Oh, yes, now he was important enough for him to remember his name. Indeed, he had achieved victory over his teen-aged arch-nemesis, but it was the team that turned the victory into defeat.

But why? Why was the team so much more important than the individuals? He tried to figure it out, and realized it wasn't necessary to know why. It was only necessary to destroy it.

'So.', he thought evilly, 'How to nullify that advantage?"

His eyes opened wide as the light went off in his head.

"Yesss.", he said with an evil grin, "I will defeat Kim Possible after all! Permanently! But first, I must break up the team. And what better way than to destroy the buffoon?"

He laughed fiendishly as he proceeded to plan anew.

Shego kept on reading and didn't even notice.

Deep in the dark training room of his hidden fortress, Lord Monte Fiske sat patiently in lotus position, waiting...

* * *

His meditation remained undisturbed as his monkey ninja minions sat motionless around him, attentive to the oracle in their midst, anticipation rising to its speaking yet once again. But mainly they wished to keep their master from becoming irate with them if they disturbed his meditations. For three days before the rising of the full moon, until now, they waited for a sign that the oracle would speak again. Monkey Fist was agitated, displaying a false serenity before his subordinates, but he kept his temper. It wouldn't be long now...

He was soon rewarded. The golden banana shaped idol began to shine.

"Finally...', he muttered.

A shimmering image started to come into focus. Soon the rotund transparent monk with his anemic smile came into view.

"Greetings, disciple. It is time to anoint the Ultimate Monkey Master..."

"You've already done that one.", grumbled Monkey Fist.

Surprisingly, the monk image responded. He frowned at the monkey master.

"Yesssss...", he said with some slight annoyance, "However, there is still time to fulfill the prophecy."

"And is it still Ron Stoppable who is the Ultimate Monkey Master!", he sneered.

"So I had some fun with you.", the monk said smiling, obviously enjoying Monkey Fist's discomfiture, "But Ron Stoppable has not yet fulfilled the prophecy."

"No more!", cried Monkey fist, "Do not play your games with me, Oracle! I am destined to become the master of all Tai Shing Pek Kwar! I command you! Tell me how!"

The monk laughed.

"You have no power over me, disciple. Do not think your threats have any value. But as you are the last of the dark masters in the physical world, you are the last hope of victory for those of us vanquished so long ago. Despite past, shall we say, difficulties, we know you have proven yourself somewhat... ...capable. Show us what you have accomplished."

Monkey Fist glared at the image. Slowly he reached behind him and brought forth the object, a long shiny blade, humming softly in its sheath. The English lord smiled malevolently at the monk.

"You see?"

"Yes.", replied the monk nonchalantly, " As prophesied, the Lotus Blade. But it is only the first step. Many of my brethren here in this world no longer have confidence in your abilities. I myself would never appear before one who had failed us so miserably in the past. But I am more predisposed, I admit, to be generous than most, and was willing to grant you another chance... ...if you succeeded in obtaining the blade."

"I tire of your insults, Oracle!", Monkey Fist rasped roughly, "If this is not enough, tell me what more I need to do?"

The monk laughed evilly, "You must still seek the brightest monkey."

"What?", asked Monkey Fist, "Must I still find a way back to that infernal space station?"

"Fool!", yelled the monk, "You think I meant the most intelligent?"

"Then what did you mean-"

"Quiet, underling!", the monk uttered harshly, now out of patience with this bumbling so-called aristocrat.

"The brightest monkey will be he... or she... who shines the brightest with the power and wisdom of Tai Shing Pek War."

"Surely, you do not mean that old fool at Yamanuchi!"

The fat monk chuckled, "Hardly. He is not wise in the dark style. No, we meant the Chosen One"

Monkey Fist stared back at the image, confused, not knowing what to say.

The monk continued to laugh, seeing Monkey Fist didn't understand.

"Surely you don't mean the buffoon!", cried Monkey Fist, "You must be joking! How can he know the dark style?"

"Oh, I assure you,", "the monk replied with a knowing sneer, "He has a dark side. He can be turned. So do not underestimate him again, disciple. He is more than you see."

"Bah!", Lord Fiske said, "You lie! It can't be!"

"Believe me. It is so."

He looked back at the whispery image of the monk hanging there in the air, an angry look on his face. He didn't answer immediately. There was a time he worshipped every word he heard from the idol. He knew their ways better now. But the monk's words rang true.

"Very well.", he finally said, "What would you have me do?"

The monk smiled.

"You have the Lotus Blade. Now you must now use the sword to obtain the remaining relics."

"But they were destroyed!"

"Were they?", asked the monk.

Monkey Fist looked at him curiously.

"Come, disciple.", said the monk, "I will tell what you need to know... ...for now."

"And afterward?"

"If you succeed, disciple... ...if you succeed."

* * *

"Kim!", called Mrs. Possible, "Come down and help with the baggage by the front door!"

Kim looked up from the fashion magazine she was reading as she lay across her bed, a puzzled look on her face.

'Baggage?', she thought, 'What baggage?"

She got up and skipped down the stairs from her room to the ground level, headed for the open front door. There, she saw her mother's form framed in the outside sunlight, talking to someone rather excitedly. As she walked up, her mother turned and looked at her with an excited, happy smile.

"Look who's here, Kim!"

She moved out of the way and Kim's eyes went wide.

It was Jos, smiling excitedly at her, bright as a lighthouse beacon.

"Hi, cuz! I bet you didn't expect to see me here!"

Kim's jaw dropped as she exclaimed, "Jos!", and she ran forward, scooping her cousin up in a big hug, which Jos returned with equal vigor, laughing.

"Jos! What are you doing here? Not that it isn't great to see you, but I didn't know you were coming!"

Her mother answered, "Oh, it was somewhat of a last minute decision. Your Uncle Slim called last night and asked us to keep her while she's in Middleton."

"Really? So how long are you going to be here? Oh, this is great! There's so much we can do together!"

Jos smirked at her, "It's gonna be a looooong time, Kim..."

She stared at Jos, the puzzled expression back on her face. She looked to her mother.

Dr. Possible smiled again and told her, "I'll let Jos explain. I've got to get back to the kitchen."

She left the two girls to take the luggage to the guest bedroom, which Kim guessed would be Jos' bedroom for the time being. Kim helped her settle in as they chatted about recent news with both branches of the family, but once they finished catching up, she sat her cousin down on the bed for the down low.

"Okay, spill.", Kim asked with a penetrating stare, "What's the 4-1-1?"

Jos looked at her eagerly with a grin, "Well, Dad and I have been talking. And I told him what I wanted to do."

"And that is."

"I want to go to high school out here in Middleton with you!"

"For the whole year?"

"For all four years, if your parents let me!"

Kim gaped in shock, "What? Wow! That's great, Jos! We could have such fun together! So it's okay with Mom and Dad?"

"Oh yeah, Kim! My Dad and your parents are okay with it."

"But why here? Don't you have high school out at Montana?"

"Well, Yeah! But the opportunities here are better. And you know nothing ever happens around the ranch. I want to be where the action is!"

"Uh... ...yeah, you're probably right.", Kim replied, suddenly worried about what she meant by 'action', yet she stayed relaxed, actually glad to have her cousin around.

"But it's so great having another girl in the family going to school! You know how the tweebs can be such a drag!"

"Yep, I know.", Jos replied authoritatively, "Boys just don't get it, do they? And you know? It will be great! Listen, I want you to help me. I want to try out for cheerleader!"

Kim gasped, "Spanking, Jos! I think you'll make a great cheerleader! I'll teach you everything I know."

"Thanks, cuz!", she blurted out laughing, "I was hoping you would."

Kim joined in, laughing as much as her cousin, until Jos' demeanor changed. She still had that happy look, but it was clear there was more, something she still hadn't told her.

"Kim,", she said hesitantly, "There's, uh, something else I need to talk to you about."

Kim's hackles started to rise again.

"Okay Jos. What is it?", she asked, caution in her voice.

"Well, your parents know that I'm here to go to high school and have a better opportunity for education than I would back home, but that's not why Dad let me come."

Kim studied Jos' face, a look of determination having come over it, and it was making her apprehension grow.

"You mean there's another reason you came here? One that my parents don't know about?"

"Yeah, but Dad does. And he's okay with it."

"Jos..."

"Kim, please. I've grown up a lot since I saw you last summer."

This was true as Jos had been spurting through puberty quite rapidly for the past year or so since Kim had seen her at the ranch. And she had grown a couple of inches too. This was one of the first changes she noticed when she saw her at the front door. But if Jos was headed in the direction with this conversation that Kim thought she was, then it was her mentally growing up that was more important here. She had her doubts. Jos' next words confirmed it.

"You know that you were always my idol."

Kim groaned inwardly, saying, "Er, Jos. I thought that was Ron when I left."

"Well, it's really both of you, for different reasons."

She started to feel even more uncomfortable.

"Look, I don't know what it is you expect..."

"Kim.", said Jos cutting her off, "All I ever wanted to do is what you do. I want to learn everything you can do. I want to be able to do anything, just like you, and I want to help you out on the missions. It's always been my dream. That hasn't ever changed."

Kim grimaced.

"Wait a minute, Jos.", she replied evenly, "I know you have some decent moves, but I'm the one who has the skills to do this job. You don't, and I'm not looking to train anybody. Ron and I are the only ones with the experience to do the missions."

"But I can learn!" Jos pleaded, "Just take me along! It'll be on the job training! Just tell me what to do!"

"Whoa, Jos!", Kim exclaimed, taken aback, "Wait just a minute! My going on the missions is one thing. But I can't take you along! It's too dangerous for me to watch out for you and complete them!"

"But you take Ron along! And you're always having to watch out for him! Why not me?"

"Ron's different! We're a team! We know how to work together. He's always been there and he can take care of himself."

Jos guffawed.

"Oh yeah! Sure! About as well as a blind, three legged jackrabbit stuck in a den of coyotes!", she said with a sharp laugh, "Come on! How many times have you or Rufus had to save him?"

"Don't dis Ron, Jos! It's not the same!", said Kim firmly, "Like I said, we mesh together as a team! That's what makes it work, especially against super-villains like Shego."

"And that's all I'm asking to do!", Jos replied in exasperation, "I just want to be part of the team! I can mesh in too! Let me learn what it takes to join you! You know I've got moves! You've seen them! I can show ol' puke face a thing or two! And I'll bet you won't have to save me like you do Ron!"

"Hold on there, cousin!", Kim said, a warning tone in her voice, "Even if I let you do this, remember that it was you who said Shego was more dangerous than Drakken. You're absolutely right about that, so don't ever underestimate her. I wouldn't call her names like that."

"Huh!", Jos replied confused, "Why not?"

"Just a bad idea, trust me."

"Whatever!", Jos said dismissively, and firmly, "I can still do this!"

Struck by her determination, Kim stared at her, full of trepidation, trying to think of something more to say to dissuade her from doing this, but then she had to admit to herself that Jos was partially right. Even the tweebs had come through brilliantly on the mission to South America when she had to baby-sit them. And Jos did have good moves. The Crooked "D" incident showed that. All it might take is for those moves to be refined. Still...

Her face twisted in indecision as she said, "Jos. I... ...I don't know. I just don't think it's such a good idea! This still seems like a phase you're going through."

Impatient, Jos shook her head and answered her with that determined look on her face, "No, Kim. It isn't, really. Me and my dad have been through that. I've convinced him this ain't no fad. And if it means I'll have to do the same with you, then I will. And I mean to."

She folded her arms and stared her cousin down, eyeball to eyeball, with the finality of her decision etched on her face.

Kim knew she was cornered. Sure, she could refuse to do it, but then having to live with Jos under the same roof would not be pleasant, not pleasant at all. So how could she resolve the dilemma? She certainly was far from convinced the girl could do it, and was wondering how she would let her down easily when she failed... ...or if she failed. 'She might make it.', Kim had to admit to herself. She considered calling Uncle Slim and explaining the situation, that she just couldn't take Jos on as a trainee. He might be able to convince her to stop pursuing this, or have her go back home, but then something else came to mind, another way she might find out for sure, one way or the other, if she really did have the skill...

"Okay.", she said after a long pause, " You know I got all my moves initially from my cheerleading skills."

"Not to mention sixteen styles of Kung Fu.", Jos added for emphasis.

"Well, yes. But cheerleading came first. There's a summer cheerleading camp being held at Middleton College. It's only June, so you'll have almost three months before school starts. We'll begin with that. You show me what you can do out there, and if it's good enough, I'll think... ...and I mean just think, about you going from there to letting you join Ron and me. Okay?"

Jos sprang up and squealed, jumping at Kim and hugging her, her excitement bubbling over, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That's all I'm asking, cuz! I know I can do it! I just need the chance to show you!"

Kim stood there hugging her cousin back, an anguished look on her face as she suddenly regretted her decision, hoping this was not going to backfire. But she had made the offer, so...

And even though she really did not like the idea of Jos doing this, the thought came to her that maybe it wasn't so unreasonable, that it was actually quite possible it could work out. The back up Jos could provide would be a wonderful addition to the team, especially now. But if it didn't, the cheerleading camp would definitely give Kim the opportunity to show her that she really didn't have the skills to help out on the missions. It would be an easy way to prove to her why she shouldn't try out for the world saving business. 'And at the least,', she mused, 'she'll get good training for when she tries out for the cheer squad.'

But then, if she did prove to be good enough...

'I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.', she thought.

Two months later, Kim was thinking sullenly, "Okaaaay, now I have to cross that bridge."

Jos had taken to cheerleading like the proverbial duck to water. Her physical skills were the best she had ever seen, in some cases better than her own. She was clearly the best student here at the camp, and it worried her sick on what she was going to do with the girl. As a side note, though, there was one very tangible benefit that amused her to no end. It was so cool to see how irritated Bonnie Rockwaller got when she learned who Jos was, which actually wasn't that hard considering how much alike the two cousins looked. Grinning to herself, Kim could still hear her...

"Now I have to deal with two Possibles all year? This is so unfair!"

Kim was truly impressed with Jos' performance and skills, in every way... ...but there was one glitch, one nagging problem that kept popping up. The girl was sooooo impatient! Jos had this annoying habit of trying to go too fast with all the moves she was learning and Kim had to really ride her hard in order to rein her back. Almost every time, as soon as the girl learned one technique, she was immediately asking Kim to teach her the next one before she had really practiced the first well enough. Kim always had to make her slow down and master the basic skills first before moving on to the more difficult moves. It was trying, but eventually she did get Jos to follow the program, usually. When Jos got ahead of herself, trying something she wasn't ready for, it really messed her timing and other skills up, such that Kim had to take her back and start from the beginning with that particular set of skills. But when she got past that tendency and followed Kim's training schedule, the girl succeeded well beyond what Kim had expected, to the point that she went ahead and taught her some beginning kung fu skills. She hadn't planned on doing that at all, but in light of Jos' success, and also the fact her cousin pushed so hard for it, she finally relented.

Now, Kim had to seriously consider whether she should let her come on a mission. She wasn't liking the choices one bit. There were only two ways Kim had worked, as a solo act or duo with Ron. Although there were occasional times she went on missions with others besides Ron, they were either with family or professionals in the business. The only exception to that was Felix, but his cybertronic wheelchair made the difference. The only time she allowed someone other than Ron to go with her on a mission was when she had no choice at the time, and sometimes she was forced to make that choice, even that time in her dreams she went on a mission to Australia with Monique. However that was only a dream.

Thinking about it, she got excited anticipating what Jos actually could do on a mission. But she was overwhelmed by caution, especially thinking of what Uncle Slim would say if she got hurt, and she just couldn't make herself commit. So, by summer's end, even when it obviously clear that Jos' skills were the best in the entire cheerleader team, Kim still avoided the decision. Jos had easily won the spirit stick award and was on the fast track to membership on the Middleton cheer squad. She had hoped this would be enough to let Kim bite the bullet and let her come on her next mission. But her older cousin continued to stall, coming up with all sorts of reasons why she couldn't join them, which kept getting harder and harder for Kim to do because she really was running out of good excuses. Then as the school year started, Kim continued to procrastinate, aggravating Jos to no end. Kim continued to train her, thinking that the right mission would come along in time, sometime. Of course, what she didn't know until it happened was that she could trust her cousin's impatience to finally make the decision for her.


	4. Chapter 4

It was early October when it happened. The month before, Jos had started out great at school, making the freshman squad and being named junior varsity squad leader, and Kim was really proud of her for that. That also gave Jos the responsibility of leading cheers at all junior varsity games, which she thought might be enough to prove to Kim she had the maturity to perform effectively on a mission. But Kim still would not let her go out on one. Kim could see that this only made the girl maddeningly frustrated, so as a reward she started training her in more advanced kung fu moves, and Jos loved that, but it just wasn't enough. By the end of September, Kim and Ron had done a total of five missions. They were minor ones, having very little, if any, danger associated with them which Jos thought should have been perfect for her to do with them, but after the last one of them, after all the pleading and arguments they had, Kim wouldn't even discuss the subject with her. With some of those missions, it would end with Jos almost screaming with aggravation and marching into her room, slamming the door behind her as Kim and Ron headed out the house. And now, for the sixth time that school year, the Kimmunicator beeped again. Kim was reading in her room and got up from her bed, retrieving the unit and activating it.

"What's the sitch, Wade?", she asked,

"Hot tip, Kim.", he replied, "Got a new report through Russian Intelligence. I was able to pick it up from their satellite communications. Looks like a group of international thieves have stolen some top secret missile plans from a lab in Moscow and are planning to sell them on the black market."

"Who's behind it?"

"Nobody we've come across before. No super-villain types that I can identify. Looks like just your common everyday international mobsters. Shouldn't be too hard."

"Cool, but how did you manage to crack Russian intelligence?"

Wade looked at her with a mildly offended look.

"Kim, I can hack into American spy satellites in my sleep. They make Russian space technology look like Lego blocks."

"Uh, right.", she said, slightly embarrassed, "Sorry. Okay, Ron and I are on the way. What about a ride?"

"Already arranged. Bernice has a long haul jet going from the states over in that direction. Usual spot at the airport."

"Sweet. TTYL."

Kim punched the Kimmunicator controls and beeped Ron on his unit. His face lit up when he appeared on screen.

"Hey, Kim! What up?"

"Meet me at the airport. We've got a mission. I'll brief you when I see you."

"I hear you, K.P. On my way.", he replied seriously and immediately signing off.

She changed into cargo pants and black tank top, grabbed her hair dryer/grappler and backpack, then headed out the door.

Her mother saw her leaving in mission mode and asked, "Where are you going, Kimmie?"

"Got some stolen missile plans in Russia I have to recover. I'm meeting Ron at the airport for our ride."

"Okay, dear, just be home by eleven."

"Sure thing, Mom."

She looked around for Jos, dreading the coming argument, but the girl wasn't anywhere to be seen. She sighed in deep relief and quietly headed out the door, glad she didn't have to go through that again.

What she didn't see was her cousin going out the door ahead of her. Jos had overheard Kim on the Kimmunicator and when she realized her cousin was going on yet another mission without her, she made up her mind to come along anyway. 'Five missions already!', she thought in frustration as she packed her own gear and made ready to leave, 'And still she hasn't taken me along! I know I'm so ready for this!'

She was already dressed for the job, having adopted the same style as her cousin in fashion wear by wearing the same cargo pants and midriff bearing tank top, just in case Kim did ask her to go. She wouldn't even have to change. Kim had kidded her that she was trying to take "Kim Style" a little too seriously, but Jos replied she really did like dressing that way, which was true enough. Kim would roll her eyes and laugh as she thought, 'At least it made shopping at Club Banana easier.' Now it made it easier for Jos to beat her out the front door. The girl was convinced the only way she would get to go on a mission was to tag along invisibly until it was time to do the mission. Then she would just pop up and show Kim what she could do. Once she did that, there was no way Kim could refuse to let her go on missions afterwards. In her mind, the plan was perfect. So when Kim was getting ready to go, she slipped into the trunk of the car and waited.

Kim got in the car and drove to the airport, never noticing any weight difference. After she had parked at the airport and left on foot, Jos used the safety release to get out. As she closed the trunk, she spotted Kim meeting Ron, then saw them hoof it to a remote hangar where their ride was waiting. She followed them quietly using the stealth skills Kim had taught her just the week before. Kim and Ron found Bernice and her long range cargo jet ready to go at the hanger, and when Bernice saw them she smiled, started up the engines as they boarded, and shut the hatch. When the plane taxied out of the hangar, Jos saw her chance, slipping in behind the aircraft as it moved onto the runway. She ran out quickly and jumped up onto the right rear wheel strut, climbing up into the wheel well. Looking around, she soon found a hatch which led into the plane's interior and grinned, knowing this would be her way inside. But to her dismay, she discovered it was both locked and monitored. For a moment she became worried that this wasn't such a good idea and turned around, looking to just scrub this attempt and jump back down onto the tarmac. But it was too late to change her mind. The jet had just then gone airborne, the wheels starting to retract into their wells. Having no choice now, she doggedly turned her attention back to the job at hand. Fortunately, she had thought to bring along her parka because she figured it would be cold in Russia, and though it became cramped in the wheel well she managed to get it on just as the wheel well cover shut tight and the temperature started to drop. Quickly, she turned her attention back to the hatch.

Like Kim, she had taken her own hair dryer grappler with her, expecting she would need it. Kim had Wade make one up for her for training. But before she left the house, she also borrowed Kim's "senior" ring. This was the one that had all the gadgets in it including the miniature Kimmunicator, laser, and respirator, a twin to the one she used to escape from Drakken when he imprisoned her in a deep chasm filled with water, killer sharks, and a man-eating squid. Kim had barely got out in time before making it on stage at the talent show at school that year, and although she had lost that ring during her escape, Wade had whipped up another one for her. These days however, Kim rarely used it, and only if she felt there was a special need. Jos knew where she kept it, and her foresight paid off now.

She studied the latch, finding the monitoring sensor mechanism, and saw she had to try and disarm that before opening the hatch. It was a simple contact switch, so she first pried off its mounting case and loosened a length of the connecting wires to them, leaving the two halves in place with their mild magnetic attraction holding both together. Then she went back to the latch and used the ring's laser beam to cut through the lock. The air was starting to get thinner to the point of affecting her breathing, which told her she didn't have much time. Working quickly, she lasered the lock off, got through the latch cover, and gently undid it, holding the sensor contacts together as she opened up the hatch and slipped into the cargo hold. There was a mild noise of suctioning air, and she quickly shut the hatch cover, afraid the noise would alert someone. Fortunately, the altitude wasn't that high yet, and the noise was low enough not to cause any attraction from anyone in the plane. She opened the hatch just slightly and pulled loose some more sensor wire to wrap it around the disassembled sensor mounting and tied the two sensor contacts onto the broken latch lock. Then she gently laid the hatch back down. It worked, preventing the alarm from going off, and she knew the sensor contacts' magnetism would allow them to stick together, as long as there wasn't any sudden force to break them apart.

'Or if there isn't any really bad turbulence or something like that.', she also thought, 'It should do.' Once inside, the air was still thin, but suddenly the hold started to pressurize barely two seconds after she closed the hatch the second time. 'That was lucky!', she thought. That would have set off another alarm if she had come through the hatch then, one which have alerted everyone on the plane she was there. As it was, she remained undiscovered, and she made her way into the hold, finding a large crate of machine parts among the cargo. "Perfect!", she muttered to herself with a smile, quietly prying off the side cover and slipping inside. She shut the cover as well as she could and made herself comfortable. Now it was only a matter of waiting until the right time to reveal herself.

Several hours later, Bernice called back to Kim and Ron, "I wanted to let you know we're just now flying over Eastern Europe. We should be in Moscow in no time."

"Thanks, Bernice.", said Kim, unbuckling herself.

"Back in a sec, Ron. I just want to check up on things."

"Sure, KP.", Ron said.

Kim went up to the cockpit. Bernice turned and smiled as she came in.

"How long do you think, Bernice?", she asked.

"Just under two hours, Kim.", the big woman replied.

"And we're on time?", Kim said looking at the displays.

"You bet!"

"Great. It's really sweet of you to do this.", she said.

"Anytime, Kim.", Bernice replied happily, "As long as you're willing to help people..."

"Right.", Kim interrupted gently with a smile, " No big, really."

The big woman grinned silently and turned to piloting the jet again.

"You might want to buckle back in.", she added, "We're going to hit some turbulence in a minute."

"Okay, Bernice.", Kim said, strapping into the co-pilot's seat just as the plane started to pitch around, which lasted about thirty seconds as they went through some heavy clouds.

"Whoa! Some winds there!", Bernice said, still gabbing away.

"Yeah.", said Kim in a distracted voice, her mind focused on the mission, specifically the next moves they needed to make once they landed.

"You know.", replied Bernice, "Somehow there always seems to be a lot of that over Eastern Europe."

"Oh, I'm sure of that.", Kim replied distractedly as a beeping sound came out of the jet's console.

She frowned and asked, "What's that?"

Bernice studied her console intently, "It looks like I've got an open wheel well hatch on the right rear side. It might be a malfunction. Could you check it out?"

"Sure thing."

Kim unbuckled herself and went to the back of the plane, climbing down the stairs to the cargo section. Looking around, she found the right wheel well hatch and inspected it. She could see some damage around the door latch suggesting that it had been jimmied open. 'But if so, when?', she thought. She pulled out the Kimmunicator and called up to the cockpit.

"Bernice. The hatch is shut and secured, but something may be wrong with the sensor. I'm going to open it. The pressure alarm's going to go off."

"Okay! I'll disable that alarm."

She had to struggle to open the hatch against the pressurization, but managed to do so. The alarm sounded for a second and then stopped when Bernice shut it off. She looked down into the wheel well, but couldn't see anything out of place until she noticed the sensor. It had been pried off and was now hanging down, the two halves dangling loose and free in the wheel well.

'Oh no.', she thought, 'Someone's definitely on the plane with us.'

She closed the hatch, allowing the pressure to quickly normalize for the cargo area.

"Ron!", she yelled upstairs.

"Yeah, K.P."

"Come down here! We got an intruder!"

"Be right there."

In a minute Ron had joined her.

"Brrrr! It's cold down here!"

"Yeah, they pressurize the hold, but it's not heated like the upper deck. ", she said, looking around suspiciously, "Okay, I'll take the front and you take the back."

What are we looking for?"

"Anything, Ron. Somebody may have snuck on board with us. You good to go?"

"Got it covered, Kim!"

They separated and inspected the hold inch by inch for a good fifteen minutes, going over their tracks three times just to make sure. But they still came up empty when they met back at the stairwell to the upper deck.

"You sure about this, Kim?", Ron asked, scratching his head.

"That hatch didn't jimmy itself open.", she said, frowning, "Somebody's here. My weird alarm is going off."

A soft sneeze sounded nearby, coming from a cargo crate about twenty feet away. Kim jerked around, her eyes hard, zeroing in on the source of the sound. She jumped up onto the top of the crate and found the side of a large box of machine parts slightly ajar. Grabbing it, she ripped it open.

"Okay, you! Who are you and... "

Kim's eyes flew open as she gasped.

 _"Jos!_ "

Jos looked up at her cousin from the inside of the crate, cringing in her parka, frost partially covering her hood and face. Covered in lubricating grease which leaked from the machine parts, and shivering with cold, she was fortunately only a little worse off for wear...

"Oh, uh, Hi.", she said, red-faced, "I didn't think you'd find me this quickly."

"Find you this quickly?", Kim shouted, furious at finding her at all, "And just what did you expect would happen when I did find you? What do you think you're doing? You have no business being here!"

Jos had reacted timidly on being discovered, but now that was done and over. She became animated and impassioned, stepping up smartly out of the huge crate.

"Yes I do, Kim!", she cried out, "I'm ready for this! I know I'm ready!"

As soon as he saw her, Ron groaned. He had a pretty good idea of what Kim was going to do. He pulled out his Kimmunicator and beeped Wade as Kim faced down her cousin.

"I"ll decide when you're ready and not a moment before!" she yelled back at the younger girl when she finally got out.

"But, Kim!..."

"Don't you 'but' me, young lady! You're going back to Middleton, right now, and don't think this is the end of it! You can't go off half-cocked like this and..."

"Whaddaya mean half-cocked?", Jos yelled back, "I've been ready for this forever!"

"Which is not your decision to make!", Kim countered, "now you will go back and-"

"Uh, Kim.", said Ron, raising his head up from his conversation with Wade on the Kimmunicator, "We can't go back."

Surprised, she turned to him, "What? What do you mean?"

"We don't have a way back right now.", he explained, "And if we're going to finish the mission on time, we're going to have to take her along."

"You want me to baby-sit her through the mission?", she sputtered at him, still wide eyed.

"Hey!", objected Jos, "I don't need no baby-sitter!"

"That's a matter of opinion!", she retorted hotly, "And mine's the one that counts here!"

Jos groaned and regarded her sullenly as Kim looked back to Ron desperately and said, "But we can't!"

Ron stood there staring expectantly at her, his eyebrows mildly elevated. He didn't have to say anything.

"Uh, well, okay!", Kim said, "We'll just have to leave her somewhere until we're finished. Maybe Wade knows someone who can watch her."

"No way, Kim! Please!", pleaded Jos.

Kim glared back at her, annoyed. Ron clicked off his Kimmunicator and stuffed it in his pocket, then put a dash on that hope, "Sorry, K.P. Wade says he doesn't have anyone here who can help right now. We're stuck with her."

Kim's shoulders dropped, her face scrunched up in frustration. She looked back and forth between the two of them a couple of times before turning away, growling and wringing her hands in anger. Finally getting it out of her system, she lasered her cousin with a severe look and laid into her.

"Ohhhhh! You are so lucky that I have no choice!"

Jos squeaked with delight, but Kim cut her off immediately, looking far more cross.

"Hey! Cut that out! Now, you listen to me! First off, give me that!", she said pointing to her hand.

Jos timidly removed the ring and gave it to her.

"Second!", Kim said, stowing the ring as she spoke, "You do everything, and I mean everything I tell you to do! You do not get ahead of us! You do not get into any danger! You do not get into any fights! You stay in the background and out of any trouble! You hear me?"

Surprised at her cousin's vitriolic outburst, Jos was suitably cowed, 'Yeah, yeah, okay. I'll be good. You'll see."

"You'd better!", she answered hotly, "I'm already gonna kill you when we get back home! Disobey me here again and you will be soooooo much worse than dead! Capish?"

"Ca-what?"

"Do you get it?" , added Ron.

"Yeah, I got it!"

"Good!" shouted Kim, making Jos jump as she headed for the upper deck and the front of the plane. Ron and Jos both stood very still, watching her stomp away. It was only when she was out of sight that Jos visibly relaxed.

"Whew!", she said with a sigh, "That went better than I thought."

He stared at her, eyes droll.

"Are you kidding? You think that was it?", he said, "Jos, you've got Kim really mad at you now. Not sort of mad, not kind of mad, not plain mad, not irritatingly mad. She's really, really mad. Believe me, I know from experience what that's like."

She looked at him with trepidation, "Okay, and that means..."

"Jos, you are sooooo in trouble."

Ron made sure that Jos was strapped into the spare seat and got her a towel to wipe off the grease before he went to find Kim. She was up towards the front of the plane just behind the cockpit, staring silently out the front windshield into the sky. She stood there motionless, arms crossed, lips pressed tight, her face taut with the anger she still felt.

"Kim.", he said softly, "You know how badly she wants to do this."

"She's not ready!", she fired back hotly, "And I don't know if I will ever let her come on a mission if she pulls a stunt like this again behind my back! Arrgghhh! Do you know how much this can compromise the mission?"

"I know how mad it's making you. Can't you see she wasn't trying to hurt you or the mission?"

She turned and nailed him with green flames blazing in her eyes, "Oh, yeah? Now I have to look out after her, too, right? As if I don't have enough to worry about!"

"If you want, I'll look after her..."

"No! It's my responsibility! I'm the one who has to do it!"

"But Kim, you can trust me..."

"No!", she said, cutting him off sharply, "I can't trust anybody else with this!"

Surprised, Ron said, "What do you mean, Kim? You've always trusted me-"

Ron suddenly backed up as Kim shoved a finger in his face, "Don't you even start with me, Ron Stoppable! You can't!...you just can't!...Arrrggghhhh!..."

Kim wrung her hands and turned her back on him, angrily trying to burn holes through the cockpit glass with her eyes as she seethed.

He opened his mouth again to speak, but found it best to hold his tongue. She was just too incensed to see reason. She had never been this... ...this obstinate before, and it worried him. He had to give her time to cool down and hoped he would be able to approach her again before the plane landed. But it worried him a lot.

He went back and strapped himself back into his seat next to Jos, who had sulkily buckled herself in into the last available chair. He didn't get the chance to talk to Kim as she did not join them until the plane was just about to land, and there was no time left except to go do the mission.

But what worried him most was that Kim had just told him she didn't trust anybody, including him. That also hadn't ever happened before. Not like this...

* * *

After the jet had pulled into the hangar, the three teens deplaned and were greeted by their ride. The burly mustached man who Wade had contacted pulled up in a large cargo van just as they hit the tarmac, ready to transport them to their destination, the industrial part of the city. When the teens appeared, he flashed a huge smile at Kim.

"Hi, Pyotr!" said Kim, smiling when she recognized him, "How's your family?"

He grinned wider and replied, "So good, Kim Possible! With much thanks to you for saving them from river!"

"No big!", she replied cheerfully, "Anybody could have swum the Volga even in full flood conditions like that. So you do you know where we're going, right?"

"Absolutely! Please, get in!"

He waved them into the back of the van and quickly zipped off, purposefully driving them towards their target. Wade had been able to pinpoint the location of the thieves and keep track of them whenever they moved, continually updating the information to the big Russian on a two way unit. Briefly, Kim considered leaving Jos with him, but sighed as she realized that he was still going to be in dangerous territory waiting to retrieve the team when they had finished, and Pyotr didn't know what she was capable of doing. It would still be better for Jos to be with her where she could be watched.

Soon Pyotr had delivered them to a dingy, deteriorating warehouse where, according to Wade, the thieves were inside waiting to make the deal with the buyers. They got out there and Kim thanked Pyotr again just before he drove off. He was to meet them back here in three hours, or sooner if Wade called him in. They bounded up onto the top of the nearest building and jumped to the roof of another one next to the warehouse, just opposite a second story window into their target. When they got there, Kim opened up the Kimmunicator and contacted Wade again.

"That is the drop site for the exchange, Kim.", he confirmed, "The technological blueprint plans are in a large mailing tube. They're inside now, waiting for the buyer to arrive."

"Thanks, Wade.", she answered and clicked the Kimmunicator off.

Kim turned to the others, "Okay, when we go inside, this is what we do. Jos, you stay in the shadows and remain hidden. Just watch. Don't do anything more than that."

Jos began to argue, "But, Kim!"

Green eyes aflame, she stared her down, hard, almost hissing in Jos' face, " _Don't! Even! Think! About! It!_ "

The girl blanched and silently nodded in acquiescence.

Kim turned to Ron, "And you provide the distraction while I get the plans."

He said flatly, "Yeah, I know. The usual."

She glared at him, suddenly irritated, "Ron, I'm really not in the mood right now!"

He looked at her, slightly taken aback at her response, "Its okay, Kim. I just wish I could do something else."

"Well, you can't do anything else!", she retorted angrily, "I can't trust you to do anything else so in this sitch, do the one thing you can do!"

Jos gasped softly. She had seen Kim and Ron tussle verbally at each other before, but not like this. She had never seen her cousin attack him so... ...so viciously.

Kim's face changed and she turned away, regretting the words as soon as she said them. Closing her eyes, she inhaled a deep breath and let it out, then turned back to him, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"Ron, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it. Please forgive me. We've been friends too long and I do trust you. It's just I'm so angry, you know. I'm so..."

He needed to talk to her about this, but now wasn't the time. He simply pulled her into an embrace, hugging her close. He had been stung initially, and wasn't even mad, and it made him feel better that she realized immediately that what she said was way out of line, and really it wasn't so much what she said, as the way she said it.

"It's okay, Kim.", he said soothingly, "I know you didn't mean it the way it came out. You're just under a lot of stress.""

She hugged him back dearly, saying softly, "Thanks, BF. If you can put up with that, you're a better boyfriend than I deserve."

"Naw, Kim.", he replied, "Too much trouble to replace you."

She giggled and pulled back, reassured he was okay with it as she ran her fingers once through his hair.

'You sure?", she asked anyway with a smile.

"Yeah.", he replied grinning.

She kissed him quickly and said, "Okay, ready to go?"

"Let's do it, K.P.", he replied with an expectant grin.

"Yeah.", Jos muttered with a pout, "The boyfriend gets to have all the fun."

Irked, they both looked at her and said, "Zip it, Jos!"

She still pouted.

They fired their grappling hooks onto the roof, catching the eave of the warehouse and swinging over to the window. Quietly, they opened it up and stepped inside onto a rough wooden floor. They heard no sound inside, and maintained that silence going in. Kim's first impression was that it looked more like an abandoned storage area than anything else. Retracting their grapplers, they softly closed the window and worked their way through a clutter of industrial machinery and manufacturing tools that seemed to be scattered all over the place in no certain order. It was grungy and the place was a mess, debris strewn throughout with a stale oily smell permeating the air. It was almost completely dark except towards the center of the building where an indistinct light was shining through the murky darkness. Soon, they could hear some soft conversation coming from that direction.

Kim ordered Jos to stay back there behind the crates. The girl was still clearly unhappy about it, but did as she was told. Kim and Ron worked their way towards the source of the light at the edge of the mezzanine like storage floor, which looked down into the open central part of the building. There were three levels of storage around this middle area and the ceiling was about thirty feet above the floor. In the center, the light source, a lone bare light bulb, revealed their target, which was a dimly illuminated table around which several men waited and paced. On the table there was the metal mailing tube with the missile plans. Carefully, they looked around and couldn't see anything or anybody else. But they could hear the others in the shadows. Silently, she made a rough estimate of how many there were, and then nodded to Ron.

"I make it sixteen goons.", he whispered.

"Seventeen.", replied Kim.

He mulled that through, trying to figure out where was the one he missed as she looked over the situation.

"Okay.", she whispered, "Let's go."

They both shot their hair dryer/grapplers into the ceiling above the table and swung down, surprising the men. Kim immediately scooped up the mailing tube before any of them knew what had happened as Ron crashed into two goons, hurtling them into three others. With shouts of surprise, others began pouring out of the surrounding darkness.

Kim landed on the floor in a three point stance as five huge Russian mobsters rushed her from all directions. Jumping up at the last moment, the first two ran into each other, surprised their quarry was no longer there. She tossed the missile plans to Ron, then landed on their shoulders and crashed their heads together, knocking them out. As they fell away, she jumped again and executed a flying side kick into the face of the next nearest thug. He landed flat on his back, stone cold out. She landed and jumped again, executing two flawless simultaneous jump sidekicks a hundred eighty degrees apart as two more opponents rushed her from opposite sides. They fell hard, unconscious. Once more on the ground, she assumed a fighting stance as she was surrounded again.

More wary, the thugs approached cautiously, but did not anticipate her speed. Cat-like, she executed a jump side kick and knocked her nearest opponent away, then turned and back kicked the man trying to come at her from behind. A third thug closed in and swung hard with a right cross. She ducked and straight punched him to the gut, doubling him over, jumped with a front kick to the head and took him off his feet. He somersaulted backwards and landed flat on his face. Kim came back down, turning in midair with a wheel kick to the temple of the fourth man as he closed. He crumpled and she landed back in fighting stance with two men still facing her. More were coming.

In sequence, she continued to neutralize them as they engaged her. As she did this, Ron kept running around with the missile plans trying to distract as many thugs away from her as he could. One huge man did manage to grab him and they struggled with the mailing tube until Rufus came out and bit him on the hands. Yelping, the thug quickly let go and Ron took off again, several goons on his heels. Kim rapidly had the floor littered with unconscious bodies. Methodically, she took the rest of them down, then chased down the ones going after Ron until there were none left. Afterwards, he gave the plans back to her as they looked around, exhilarated by a good night's work.

"Rufus!", Ron said breathlessly, "See if you can find the lights, okay, buddy?"

The mole rat scurried off and in a few moments, the main lights came on, illuminating the huge interior of the warehouse. Then he scurried back into Ron's pocket.

"Good. No more bad guys.", said Kim after looking the place over, "Let's get out of here before the buyer comes in."

"Too late.", said a woman's sultry voice from behind her.

Recognizing the speaker, Kim turned instantly in her direction, but was nailed by a side kick that knocked her all the way across the warehouse into one of the struts holding up the far side storage ledge. Kim fell in a clump on the floor, the breath knocked out of her. The mailing tube had popped up out of her arms and landed in a green and black gloved hand, the other one forming a ball of green plasma which was aimed directly for Ron. Seeing the malevolent glare of the green eyes of the woman staring him down as she fired the plasma bolt, he screeched and ran for cover, barely escaping being blasted apart as he dived behind a large machine lathe.

Shego grinned at her arch-nemesis, chuckling as she leered at her.

"Why, thank you Kimmie!", she purred, "It's so nice of you to let me have these missile plans for free, especially considering I don't have to pay these guys now."

Kim got up slowly, anger hardening her face, steeling herself for action. Shego laughed casually at her, but remained acutely ready for anything, and frankly was anticipating firing off another blast at her. She would have loved to have mixed it up with Kimmie, but as she had the plans, and she had a schedule to keep, all she wanted to do now was to leave. Still, she kept an eye on her arch-foe to see what she would do.

"As if!", Kim spat as she faced her, "You would have just stole it yourself!"

"But that's beside the point, don't you think, Princess?", Shego replied playfully, "You certainly made my job easier!"

She laughed again as Kim fumed and retorted, "Oh, yeah? Well let's see we can renegotiate the deal!"

"Deal's done, pumpkin!", Shego yelled at her, grinning with pleasure, "and it's nice to do business with you this way!"

She backed away, intending to leave, but as she turned to go, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Thinking her arch-nemesis had indeed made a move to come after her, she shifted around and prepared to blast her into the next building...

But Kim wasn't moving. All Shego saw was a blanching stare come over her face, which was now looking upwards.

She muttered, "What the...", and started to look upwards also.

Shego never saw what hit her. She was slammed away as someone swung in on a grappler line and rammed into her full force with both feet. Literally wrenched off the floor, she was hurled through several crates, going through and destroying them in the process. Disoriented and groggy from the strike, she had lost hold of the missile plans. Trying to find them again, she scrambled up from the wreckage and groped around, trying to look around, and was surprised to find Kim Possible was right on top of her...

'She couldn't have moved that fast!', she thought. But if it wasn't Kim? 'Wait a minute!', she thought idly, 'she looks similar, but... ...younger?'

She gasped again, her train of thought disrupted as she got hammered a second time in her gut by the lookalike. Shego flew another thirty feet into yet another crate, collapsing it on top of her.

'Whoa! She's quick, whoever she is!', she thought in surprise as several hundred pounds of machine parts toppled onto her. Then she heard Kim's voice.

"Jos! Jos! Get out of there! Now!"

'Now, that was Kim Possible', thought a still disoriented Shego, 'Jos? The cousin from Montana? When did she join the team?'

Jos didn't hear Kim. She was too thrilled, standing on top of a crate after kicking Shego into the one adjoining it, as ecstatic as she could be. Her face was filled with the most intense excitement and joy she had ever felt from delivering two great attacks on her cousin's most dangerous foe. Breathing hard, she was anxious for more.

"Come on, puke face!", she yelled at the woman, "You ready for more of that?!"

Kim gasped.

'Oh God, she didn't!', she thought, 'She didn't just call Shego that, did she?'

Kim sprang into action, rushing to get between Jos and Shego.

Ron burst out of his hiding place and headed for Jos as well, yelling, "Did she just say what I thought she said?"

"Oh, yeah!", answered Kim, running as fast as she could.

Angrily bursting out of the crate before Jos could act, Shego hurled two burning green plasma bolts in the kid's direction. Jos squealed and dived out of sight behind some work benches, her pants getting singed as she barely escaped getting disintegrated.

"That good enough for you, pipsqueak?", she yelled at the girl.

But before she could get off another plasma bolt, Kim got into the fray and landed in front of Shego. In close quarters, Kim tore into her with rapid fire punches and knife hand strikes which her arch-foe initially fended off well. Unfortunately for the villainess, Shego was still a little shaken from Jos' hits, and Kim managed to get past her guard and back kick her into the nearest strut holding up a shelf packed with crates and boxes. The strut fractured, the boxes and crates falling on Shego and burying her in tons of machinery yet again. By then, Ron had gotten to Jos and was helping her up.

Kim quickly scooped up the missile plans and yelled, 'Okay! Everyone out! Now!"

They ran for the exit as Kim pulled out the Kimmunicator and yelled at Wade to get their ride coming. Within two minutes, the truck screeched into view and picked them up, speeding down the street out of view. Back in the warehouse, still disoriented from being buried in hundreds of pounds of machinery parts for a third time, it took Shego a while to disengage herself due to her confused state. But when her mind did clear, she saw the kids had gotten away, again. The plans were gone. In a fit of pure rage, she blasted everything off of her, literally melting metal into glowing burning puddles. The only people there were the mobsters who were starting to wake up.

Shego glared at them and screamed. Shouting her fury to the rafters, she started firing off bolt after bolt of disintegrating green plasma. The mobsters ran for it, barely escaping with their lives as the warehouse exploded into flame and was quickly reduced to ashes. None of them ever saw Shego again after that, nor did they want to. The next morning, the Russian newspapers would report a huge gas explosion and fire had destroyed a warehouse in the industrial district, razing it down to nothing more than smoldering cinders. The machinery in the building was turned into molten slag due to the intense heat of the flames. The papers also remarked upon the unusual green color of the fire, attributing it to what was suspected to be a large amount of copper metal stored there.

Once Pyotr had gotten them out safely, Kim and Ron took the missile plans back to the laboratory from where they had been stolen and returned them to their proper owners. They were gratefully thanked by the scientists and government officials for her service, which Kim accepted somewhat impatiently, though politely. She wanted to get back home ASAP. The big Russian then delivered the three teens back to the airport. Kim thanked him again as they boarded another plane going back to Middleton. It was a cargo jet just like Bernice's but with a different pilot. The ride itself was uneventful, yet tense. Kim remained absolutely silent all the way back. Ron could see she was even madder than she had been before the mission, and dared not say anything, not wanting to rock the boat. He couldn't understand it. The mission was a success, yet Kim was obviously enraged about something that to him wasn't that big a deal. 'What is wrong with her?', he thought. Jos knew better than to utter any sound at all. She sat so far back into her seat, she looked like she was trying to melt inside the fuselage of the plane and become unnoticeable. But what she dreaded, and knew would happen, did happen. Kim spoke...

"Jos."

Jos cringed and answered in a very small voice, "Yes."

Her voice in a soft, but dangerous tone, she said, "Didn't I tell you not to engage in any fighting?"

Jos gulped, "Uh, yeah. But..."

"But nothing!", Kim finally exploded, standing up, "You disobeyed orders!"

Jos's face was wrenched with anxiety, "I know! I know! And I'm real sorry. But if I hadn't done it, Shego would have gotten away! Don't you think..."

Kim cut her off again, "Don't you dare tell me what I think! Shego is way too dangerous for you! She nearly killed you out there! You know that? You should have left it to me to take her on! I would have gotten the plans back from her!"

"Kim.", Ron interjected.

"Don't!", Kim sniped, turning on him suddenly for his interruption, stabbing a finger into his face and staring him down like before, making it clear she didn't want him in the conversation. But he wouldn't relent, returning her stare equally.

"Kim..."

"No, Ron.", she said, calming down a little but still glaring at him, still irate, "Don't say it."

He persisted, "Kim, cut her some slack!"

She was shaking out of pure anger, and realized it then. She made herself settle down a little more. She didn't want to be harshing on Ron again, not after her previous outburst.

"Ron, please don't get into this.", she said in a softer tone, "She's my responsibility. I..."

"I know she is.", he said, gently interrupting her again, "Listen to me. I agree she disobeyed. But she did good too. And really, you know that if she hadn't hit Shego when she did, you probably would not have recovered the plans. They were good hits, Kim. She deserves a little credit for that. How many times have I, you know, 'disobeyed' like that and we still came through?"

"You mean screwed up!", she riposted testily.

Ron's shoulders slumped. "Yeah, okay!", he said morosely, "Screwed up, then."

"But that's you!", she yelled, That's!... ...That's!..."

She glared at him, but couldn't resist the gaze from those rich brown eyes for long, and soon softened her look. She had to, because she realized he was right. She wouldn't have caught Shego in time to recover the plans if her cousin hadn't slammed her down like she did. Then she remembered how Jos looked on top of that crate just after decking Shego so hard, that joy and intensity she knew so well herself, and it dawned on her how it was exactly the same way she felt when she accomplished a mission or defeated her arch-nemesis like that. Her anger defused, she looked back at Ron apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Ron. You're right, of course."

Then she turned to Jos with a soft gaze.

"Okay. I admit Ron is right.", she conceded, "Those were good hits. And you executed your skills very well, even though it was not under the right circumstances. But you need to understand that the only reason you got away with it was because Shego had no idea you were with us. She's used to having to deal with just me and Ron as a team and nobody else. She won't make that mistake again."

But her look hardened again as she added, "But that doesn't let you off the hook. You will do every single one of my chores as well as your own for the next month."

The girl's mouth dropped, "But Kim! That's not fair!"

"Jos, if you want me to continue training you, you will obey orders! Is that clear?"

"But Kim?"

"Is that clear?", Kim said, her voice raised.

Her mouth trembling, close to tears, Jos didn't answer immediately. But she had no choice, and knew it.

"Fine!", she finally burst out, exclaiming, "I will! I'm... ...I'm sorry. I don't want to be trouble! I just want to prove I can do it!"

She was crying openly now. Seeing how upset she was, Kim's demeanor lost all sense of her authority, wanting now only to comfort her. She went to her cousin and gathered her up in a strong hug.

Softly, she said, "I love you, Jos. I don't want to be this hard on you. But I can't bear the thought of seeing you hurt. It's got to be this way until I'm sure you can handle yourself. And I want you to know I believe in you. I believe you can be as good as me, if not better."

She pulled back and kissed her on the forehead as the girl looked up at her with wet eyes. Slowly, she put on a slight smile.

"I love you too, cuz.", she whispered, a determined look on her tear stained face, "I am sorry. And I will do better. I promise."

Kim looked steadily at her and said, "I know you will, Jos. But you will not, and I repeat not, ever do this again. You understand?"

"Yes, Kim.", she said sniffling and drying her eyes, "I got it. I won't do it again."

"Good. It'll be okay. The time will come when I do think you're ready. Oh, and one thing more."

"Uh-huh?"

"Don't ever say 'puke face' around Shego again.", she said with a smirk, "Remember, I told you. Calling her names like that's guaranteed to drive her berserk."

"Ohhhhh.", Jos said, now understanding, "So that's what you meant. My bad, huh?"

"One way ticket to green plasma city.", added Ron, chuckling.

"Must rile her up worse than a rattler in the middle of a bunch of roadrunners, huh?"

"Yeah, except the roadrunners would lose, big time."

"Riiiiight", Jos replied, "I'll remember that."

From the cabin, the pilot called out and said, "Ms. Possible, I've got a call for you on the radio."

"I'm coming.", said Kim. She kissed Jos on the cheek and got up and looked at Ron.

Ron grinned at her as she passed by him. She stopped and bent down, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Ron.", she said softly, "Your advice was really good."

"Not too much 'child-like wonder'?", Ron kidded.

Kim laughed softly as she kissed him.

"No. You do have your moments. Not many of them, I'll admit, but you do have them."

Still laughing, she walked up front to the cabin to take the call. Ron smiled to himself knowingly. For awhile, Jos said nothing, obviously deep in thought.

She sighed and said, "Well, I guess I deserved that. But gosh, she's tough!"

He looked at her with slightly raised eyebrows, 'tsks' of disapproval coming out of the side of his mouth.

"Jos. You just don't see it, do you?"

"What?"

"You were soooo the luckiest kid just then."

She looked at him with wide eyes, trying to figure out just how much worse it could have been.


	5. Chapter 5

"I got it!"

"Jos! Wait up! That's for me!"

Jos flew into Kim's room, scooping up the Kimmunicator and switching it on.

"What's the sitch, Wade?", she said excitedly.

The boy genius appeared on the screen staring, a confused look on his face.

"Wade?", she asked when he didn't respond.

Wade frowned, but said nothing.

"Oh, come on, Wade!", Jos replied in irritation, "What's the sitch?"

"You aren't authorized on this Kimmunicator."

Looking frustrated, she said, "Well, of course I am! I'm Kim's cousin!"

"Not good enough."

"Whattaya mean, not good e-"

The Kimmunicator suddenly disappeared out of her hand as Kim came in and swiped it away from her.

"Hey!", Jos cried out.

"Hey, yourself!", Kim said indignantly, "You! No touchee my phonee!"

"Awwwww, Kim!"

"Don't 'awwww Kim' me! When you're ready for one of these, I'll let you know!"

"But you said it was 'no big' back at the ranch, last year!"

"That was before you joined the team!"

"But it'll take forever! Look at-"

Jos gawked at her, whispering, "I'm part of the team?"

Kim turned away and groaned.

"I shouldn't have said that...", she mumbled inaudibly.

She faced Jos again and answered, "Only conditionally! And right now that means no Josunicator, uh, Kimmunicator! Whatever! When you've proven yourself to me, then you'll get one!"

"But when is that? Look at how long it took Ron to get one!"

"Uh-huh. But that's Ron you're talking about."

That stopped Jos abruptly, making her think it through.

"Oh, yeah, right.", she mumbled with a frown, then with a resigned look she added, "Okaaaaay. I guess I can wait. Shouldn't be that long."

Kim rolled her eyes and groaned again, turning her attention back to the Kimmunicator.

"Okay, Wade, what's the, uh, sitch?"

He looked at her drolly.

"Don't tell me.", he said, "We have a new member on the team."

Slightly embarrassed, she said, "Well, yeah. I'm going to break her in, uh, slowly, you know."

"Hoo—yah!, exclaimed Jos excitedly, "We're going to kick butt and take names!"

Kim glared at her younger cousin, her eyes spitting green flame.

"Uh, right." Jos said, suddenly cowering, "I'll just go and, er, get ready, or something... ...bye!"

She dashed away. Kim growled softly and turned her attention back to Wade.

"Sorry about that, Wade. I meant to tell you earlier."

"Am I dreaming or did she just steal one of Ron's worst lines?

"I know.", she said in a frustrated voice, "But I'm sure she'll come around."

"So the Russia mission convinced you she could do it?"

Kim grimaced uncomfortably, saying, "Kind of hard to ignore, you know. She really does have potential. I've just got to make sure and keep her head into the game. For now I'm only going to take her on missions for now that are not that dangerous, just to build up her experience. So if there's no chance of any fighting, she can come."

"Well, if you can do it with Ron."

Kim barked a laugh at that.

"My point exactly.", she said smugly, "Although I'm pretty sure I had something to do with it where he was concerned."

Wade chuckled, then said, "Okay, Kim. This mission might suit Jos then. Global Justice is requesting your assistance in Cambodia."

"Cambodia? What about?"

"There's been recent vandalism of some ancient abandoned temples deep in their jungles. As a matter of fact, the government there didn't even know the temples existed until the vandalism took place."

"Don't tell me.", she groaned, suddenly morose, "Monkey Fist..."

Wade shrugged.

"Don't know for sure.", he replied nonchalantly, "It looks like it, but there's no direct evidence yet. But because of your experience with him, they'd like you to help out. Shouldn't be any danger, since whatever perpetrators were there have apparently already got what they wanted and are gone."

"Great.", she said, rolling her eyes again, "Okay. I'll get Ron and we'll be on our way. Ride?"

"GJ has it covered."

Just then, Kim heard the engines of the jet coming over the house.

"Riiiiiigght.", she said, irritated at their 'impeccable' timing, "Later, Wade, and thanks."

Taking a deep breath, Kim went to tell Jos she could come along, covering her ears when the girl screamed in sheer manic glee. It took no more than five minutes for her to gear up and get on the jet. Once on board, Jos was barely able to contain herself or sit still. Kim had to order her three times to sit down and buckle up. After they were in the air, she contacted Ron on the Kimmunicator, and was surprised to find him at the school gym. She told him to get ready for the mission, then asked the GJ agent flying the plane to go by Middleton High to get him. He happily complied and soon was hovering over the Middleton High School football field near the gym. As soon as Ron was aboard, the craft turned around and screamed out over the Rockies headed for Southeast Asia.

"Hey, K.P.", he said smiling, "So, where to this time?"

"Uh...", she said, hesitating, "Cambodia?"

He stopped cold in his tracks, the smile disappearing.

"Oh, no! Not monkeys again!", he complained, "I thought we were finished with monkeys!"

"No, Ron! No monkeys.", she replied, annoyed, "At least as far as I know. Just some vandalized temples that GJ wants us to check out."

"No monkeys?"

"No monkeys, Ron."

"No fighting?"

"No fighting."

"Oh..." he said thoughtfully, "So that's why you're taking Jos with us."

"Right.", she confirmed, "But on the off chance we do run into any combat, I... ...I want you to make sure she stays out of it, okay?"

"Huh? You want me to what?"

Kim bit her lower lip. With a humbled look, she said, "Uh, yeah. Look, I shouldn't have said what I said on the plane. You are trustworthy, and I know you can look after Jos."

Ron grinned and replied, "Thanks, Kim."

"But I'm serious about this!", Kim said in a more forceful manner.

"I hear you on that, K.P. I'll keep her safe."

"And I mean it! No fighting!"

"Loud and clear. But I don't know about this whole temple thing... ...whatever..."

"Ron, I told you. No monkeys!"

He looked at her in disbelief, "But how can you be sure? This has Monkey Fist written all over it!"

"Okay I admit.", she replied, looking unsure herself, "It does kind of look like that. But we'll find out for sure once we get there, okay?"

"Great!", he whined, "Just what I needed!"

"I thought you didn't have any more monkey issues, Ron."

"I don't.", he replied sullenly, "It doesn't mean I have to like them either."

"Well, you don't have to worry about it.", she told him with another 'child-like wonder' look, "I'll handle the monkeys if they show up. You know what to do with Jos."

He sulked, muttering, "Yeah. I gotcha, K.P."

The issue settled, she changed the subject, "So, what were you doing at Middleton High? I thought you didn't have to take summer classes this year."

"Oh, it's nothing.", he answered tentatively, "I was just, uh, doing some P.E."

"P.E?", she said, a little surprised, "You failed P.E?"

"Oh no! Kim! No! Just doing a little weight training.", he said with a smile.

She drilled him with a suspicious look.

"When did you decide to do that, and why?"

'Oops.', he thought, his face frozen in a grin.

It was because Nana had given him weight lifting exercises as part of his overall training regimen, about which he couldn't tell her, of course. Instead he struck a pose, flexing his modestly improved biceps.

"Well. Beginning of June, and because I, uh, thought it would help in the missions. See the difference?"

Rufus popped out of his pocket then and struck a pose as well, chittering, "Buya!"

"Uh-huh.", replied Kim, obviously unimpressed, "Looks like Rufus is getting the better part of that deal."

"Hey! I got a longer way to go!", he said, miffed.

"Yeah, I guess so."

She gave him that 'child-like wonder' look again. 'I give him a month tops,', she thought dismissively, 'before he chucks it.'

Ron pouted and strapped himself back into his seat.

* * *

Twelve hours later, they were in Cambodia, setting down in a clearing in the jungle at the edge of a courtyard of what appeared to be an ancient temple. It obviously had been buried under a large mound or hill but now had been largely excavated by GJ personnel busily charging around the area checking on equipment, or doing other tasks. As Kim exited the jet, a tall, brown haired agent broke away from the bustle, heading for her, a smirk on his features. Kim groaned as he got closer.

"Well, Ms. Possible. We meet again.", said Agent Will Du, smug as ever.

"So it seems.", she replied icily as Ron and Jos stepped off the plane, "How'd you get hold of us so quickly?"

He pulled out a small device from a trouser pocket. Kim recognized it as his GJ mobile database, but it now looked a lot like the Kimmunicator.

Noticing that she was eyeing the unit closely, he said, "It's been revised with new upgrades for top... ...agents..."

She recognized some of those 'upgrades'.

"Hey!", she exclaimed in an appalled tone, "Does Wade know you're using his technology?"

"Well, of course.", he replied with aplomb, "I'm sure the royalties we pay him are quite sufficient. And of course the technology is reserved only for... ...top... ...agents."

She glowered at him for rubbing it in again, growling in annoyance, which of course was when Jos thought it was a good idea to introduce herself.

"Howdy, there!" she said sticking her hand out, "I'm Jos! I'm Kim's cousin."

Will Du coolly looked down his nose at her and tepidly shook her hand, turning back to Kim with that smirk on his face.

"Hmmm. I see you're breaking in more... ...amateurs."

Stung, Jos pouted angrily at him, "Hmmph! I'm no amateur, pardner! Maybe you oughta look in the mirror instead!"

"Top agents are not amateurs, miss.", he replied haughtily.

"Well, neither am I!"

"Zip it, Jos!", Kim said, keeping her attention on the GJ agent. He continued to smile back at her with that offensive grin she so hated.

"But!..."

"I said zip it!"

That only made Jos stare at Kim, angrily, but she stopped talking. Will Du grinned even worse at her.

"Just get on with it!", Kim finally barked at him with a glare.

Still smiling, he cleared his throat and turned, leading them to a darkened opening going into the temple.

"As you can see.", he said, "We managed to unearth most of the building once we excavated around the preliminary digging. Whoever was here first did the initial clearing around the entrance, leaving the doorway open, which we discovered was the same method used at the other three temples. This is the last of four newly discovered temples that have been found to be vandalized. Since each one has been broken into the same way, we feel it's obviously the work of the same person. However, we haven't found how he or she got out of this particular temple, yet."

"You're sure he didn't come back out the way he went in?, asked Ron.

"Quite sure." he remarked snidely, "Our satellites discovered the perpetrator breaking in almost to the moment in real time. That's because whoever this criminal is, he or she has some device which possesses an interesting energy signature that we can immediately pick up on our scanners when it's activated and used. It was therefore an easy task after the first three temples were robbed for us to know the moment it was attacked. We were here within the hour of the culprit breaking in."

They started walking down a very dark passage.

His smile ebbed, "We have no sign of him or her leaving, so the suspect most certainly should still be here. Even if he or she did escape, they could not have been gone long."

"And what makes you think Monkey Fist might be involved?", asked Kim.

"This..."

He turned a flash light on, lighting up the length of the corridor. The entire hallway was covered with paintings and engravings, all of monkeys and monkey symbols. But something was different about it. They looked darker, more evil.

"The other three temples are the same way.", he added, "All filled with the same drawings and symbolism."

"And just as evil looking, I'll bet.", said Kim.

"Most definitely.", Agent Du replied, "and the perpetrator always exited on a different path from the way he went in."

""Yeah.", added Ron, softly to himself, "And he's still five hundred miles of bad road."

"What was that?", asked Agent Du.

"Uh, just like Monkey Fist not to have showed... ...up.

"Yes.", Du sniffed, "Rather rude of him."

"Whatever!", said Kim, irritated, "Let's just figure this out, okay?"

As they looked around, Ron stopped in front of one wall where he spotted a score mark at the edge of the stone block segment, burned into it like a wound. He stood there unmoving, staring at it. Kim noticed the change in his demeanor.

"What is it, Ron?"

He hesitated a minute, his attention still taken with his inspection of the wall.

He whispered, "Yeah. It's Monkey Fist all right."

"Huh? How do you know?"

"I just know."

He could feel the energy coming from that burn mark, and it totally screamed to him that the ersatz monkey master had been there. He didn't know how, but there was no doubt in his mind. He could also sense the villain had somehow gotten out of this corridor somewhere close by, getting further inside the temple, but inside where? He started exploring around the stone with his fingers, trying to get a better feel of it.

Agent Du perused the wall closely, but wasn't impressed, saying, "We've searched the entire premises already. No room was left untouched and there's no one else in here. We only have to find the way he got out."

Ron found some peculiar depressions in the stone and pressed on them. With a whoosh, a large section of the slab slid back, revealing a passage. As the dust settled, they saw a long hallway disappearing into the darkness beyond it. The stone work of the walls looked rough as did the floor. There were sconces with unlit torches at regular intervals in the walls on both sides. Will Du looked at it in surprise.

"Wait a minute.", he said, "This must be the passage the culprit used to escape."

"Gee, ya think?", replied Kim, looking askance at him.

Will Du stared at the corridor mutely, open mouthed.

'At least he's predictable.', she thought with a sigh.

Stepping carefully into the passage with flashlights, the four of them saw more carvings and drawings of monkey figures. Like the first ones they saw, these images appeared more demonic as well.

"You know what, Kim?", said Ron, "This is totally sick and wrong."

"Oh yeah", she said in agreement, "Totally."

Jos piped up and asked, "What's wrong with it? Looks fine to me."

"Not now, Jos. We need to be careful how..."

"Hey!", said Jos, interrupting her, "This looks like some sort of..."

"Quiet, Jos!"

"But...

"Jos!"

"Okay, okay!", she said, obviously put out. "I was just pointing out there's a wire in front of me."

"Huh? What wire?"

"Uh, the one I just stepped on?"

Something went 'twang' and the stone floor under Ron and Jos gave way. Screaming, they went down a yawning shaft that was revealed by a shifting granite slab. Simultaneously, the passageway filled with light as all the torches lit up. Simian screams rang in their ears from monkey ninjas as they overwhelmed Kim and Will Du amidst a familiar voice yelling "Monkey ninjas, attack!". Kim looked to where Jos and Ron had disappeared, but the stone floor had already replaced itself, sealing the drop chute. As they furiously fought off their assailants, Kim could see Monkey Fist at the end of the passage, grinning evilly.

"Kim Possible! What a surprise. I was rather put out when your pesky associates showed up before I could leave, but as you can see I only had to bide my time for the right opportunity to escape. Where's your monkey-phobic friend? Fell down on the job, did he?"

"Not as far as you're going to fall once I get to you!", she shouted angrily as she slammed a monkey ninja back away from her with a side kick and then wrist locked another away over her shoulder.

"Doubtful.", the monkey master replied oily, "In any case, you won't get the chance. I have what I came for. But I should warn you. The next time we meet, you won't be so lucky!"

"He calls this lucky?", yelled Will Du as he flattened two more monkeys into the brick wall with well placed round house kicks, just before being assaulted by five more.

"Oh, you haven't seen the best part yet." said Monkey Fist smugly as he laughed, pressing his fingers on the nearby wall.

The stone slid aside and he disappeared into the corridor revealed there. As soon as he did, all the remaining monkey ninjas broke off fighting and quickly followed. Five of them lagged behind to keep Kim and Will Du occupied, but they also left after forcing Kim back down the corridor and tripping her up on some debris. They rapidly retreated and closed the stone slab behind them, sealing it. Kim untangled herself, then went over and helped Will Du off the floor.

"Hurry!", she said, "We have to follow him and..."

She heard hissing.

"Oh... ...no..."

In the walls were a large number of holes, and out of each one a long slithery body was emerging.

"Not snakes again!"

* * *

The shaft went on forever as they fell through the dark, Ron and Jos yelling loud and long until they unexpectedly landed in a well lit chamber, a mound of straw breaking their fall. Pleasantly finding themselves uninjured, they scrambled out of the pile and looked around.

It didn't look good.

Wide-eyed, Jos asked, "Where are we?"

Ron looked around, exclaiming, "I don't know, but it's probably not a good idea to stick around!"

The chamber was large. Torches were lit and regularly placed in sconces on the walls. Inset into one side was a large alcove and what looked to be some sort of strange altar, now empty. There had definitely been something there that was recently removed. But what had really caught his attention were the fifty or so monkey ninjas all around the walls looking at him first in surprise, and then in gleeful anticipation. What worried him even more was seeing Jos gazing around, a look of exhilarating joy filling her face.

"Don't worry, Ron! I've got you covered!"

Jumping out in front of him, she assumed a defensive stance and yelled as the monkeys came to life and attacked.

"No!", Ron screamed, grabbing a yelping Jos up by the waist and running for a nearby doorway, the only one to the room. Surprising the monkeys, he jumped over two of them before they could do anything to stop him and headed down the passageway, the ninjas screaming close behind.

"Ron! Put me down!", yelled a surprised Jos, "I've got to take down those monkeys!"

"No way!", he retorted, "Kim told me to keep you out of danger, and that's exactly what I'm going to do!"

"You don't have to protect me! I can take care of myself! And you're supposed to be the distraction, not make me part of it!"

"Not this time, Jos!"

She struggled in his arms, but he was too strong, and the way he held her didn't give her any leverage for an escape technique.

"Put me down before I hurt you!"

"No can do, girl! Kim would hurt me worse!"

He kept the monkeys barely out of reach as he scampered down the passageways, turning here and there at different intersections, until he came across a door which had a latch and a lock. That gave him an idea, and he hoped he would get lucky.

Changing direction, he opened the door, went through, and shut it. He looked around for something to bar the door and found there was a key in the lock on this side. Grinning that he had guessed right, he quickly turned it, locking the door just as it began to throb with the beating of the ninjas' hands and feet on it. Fortunately, the door was thick, and it held up fine. Ron put down a very incensed Jos and looked around while she yelled at him, all the while paying her no attention. He saw the room was lit with a single torch, and was otherwise unoccupied, and the door they came through was the only way in or out. As he kept searching around, the pounding on the door suddenly stopped, which was when he finally decided to attend to Jos, so she'd stop making so much noise.

"Okay, Jos, I-"

"What are you doing, Ron?", she shouted, "You've got to control your fear better than that! Now let me out there so I can do my job."

"Hey, it's not fear!", he roared back at her, incensed, "At least not fear of them! Your job is not to fight! Kim was very clear on this!"

Surprised, Jos recoiled a moment but soon laid back in at Ron, albeit less virulently.

"But that was before this all happened!", she argued, "We don't know what's going on up there! For all we know, Kim may be captured! We have to find her!"

"Fine! That's what I'll do! You stay here and stay out of trouble!"

Angrily, Jos spat out, "No! Stop treating me like a baby! I can do my share of the work!"

"Not this time! When Kim says it's okay, you can do all the 'work' you want, but until then, you'll have to follow orders just like me! Now you stay put while I go and find Kim!"

"But Ron!"

Eyes glinting hard, He stepped up to her and forcefully grabbed her shoulders, making him look right at him.

In a voice hard as steel, he said, "I! Said! No!"

Surprised at his harshness, Jos couldn't respond. All she could do was pout with irritated frustration, her words strangling in her throat.

Ron let go of her and went to the door, listening hard. Hearing nothing, he figured the monkeys might have gone quiet, waiting for him to open the door and jump him. But even with that, he knew he had to act quickly to find Kim and Will Du. He had to take the chance. If the ninjas were still there, he would just have to take them out, hoping then that Jos wouldn't say anything about what she was about to see. 'Maybe she won't even notice', he thought wishfully, but he knew she would. She wasn't that dense. He looked back at Jos.

"Okay, I'm going to go find Kim. Remember, you stay put!"

Arms crossed, she glared silently at him. He ignored her. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the door open, ready to attack.

Nobody was outside. The ninjas were gone. Ron breathed a sigh of relief. Before Jos could react, he quickly went through and closed the door, locking it from the other side, then ran off back in the direction they came from. He didn't realize it, but Jos made no move at all. She heard him lock it from the other side and simply smiled. She pulled out a pair of small tools from her pants pocket and held them up, looking them over. 'Funny thing', she thought, 'Sure was nice back home to be friends with your next door neighbor, especially when his father is a locksmith. A girl can learn a thing or two.' She waited two minutes and then set to work on the lock.

Ron ran back the way he had come, able to identify the path from the footprints in the dust made by the ninjas. He burst into the chamber that he and Jos had fallen into. The monkey ninjas were again lined up around the wall, except for a few who were helping someone with some boxes and crates, and now he could see why they came back. Monkey Fist stood there with a long thin object and a smaller globular bundle, both wrapped in rough canvas. Ron glared as the villain turned to see who had intruded upon him.

Smiling, he said, "Well! The prodigal sidekick returns! How thoughtful. My ninjas still need some sport. Feel like running around some more?"

Ron stood his ground, staring him down.

"Where's Kim?", he demanded.

Monkey Fist leered at him.

"Oh, I've kept her occupied. It appears she has her own phobias with which she must deal. I was most happy to oblige."

He laughed harshly as he turned to the wall where he stood and pressed his fingers into it at certain points. The wall slid off to one side revealing another passage. He gathered up the two canvas covered bundles and turned back to face Ron, still smiling viciously.

"Now, Ron Stoppable, you must forgive me. I am forced to take my leave anon. But don't worry. I will leave some of my monkey ninjas to entertain you. Let me see. I think maybe five should be sufficient, yes?"

He laughed again and quickly sprinted into the passageway followed by all of his monkey ninjas, save the five he ordered to face Ron. As soon as the last of the others left, the stone panel shifted back and sealed the opening.

Ron looked at the five monkey ninjas, and sighed, "Only five? Now that hurts."

He assumed a ready stance as the ninjas attacked. The first one struck hard at his head, breaking the stone column next to him as he ducked. He riposted by wrist-locking the ninja's knife-hand and whipping him around, throwing him into the next ninja attacking him and knocking both to the ground. The third flew in with a screaming flying side kick. Ron side-stepped and turned into him with a back kick, sending the monkey soaring off at an acute angle in a different direction, smacking a wall hard before it slid down to the floor unconscious. The last two jumped in simultaneously with knife hand strikes which Ron blocked with crossed fists, retaliating with a round house - hook kick combination which laid them out. By then, the first two ninjas had recovered and came back at him. The first one attempted another flying side kick and Ron grabbed the monkey in midair, swinging him around and slamming him into the damaged stone column, knocking him out. The last one landed in front and tried to duke it out with hand techniques, but Ron easily blocked him and then simply cold-cocked him into a heap on the floor.

Ron stood there a moment, not quite believing he actually had just taken out five ninjas like that... ...Not only that, but in less than a minute. Even though he was sure he could do it, it still surprised him. Rufus popped out of his pocket and ran around checking all the downed monkey ninjas, seeing they were all unconscious. At the last one he stood up on his hind legs and looked at Ron, scratching his head, chittering in confusion, "Buya?", and looking at his human with some new respect. Ron thought back to Sensei and Nana, and saw how much they had helped him realize he really had it in him after all. It hit him. He had really done it. And it wasn't like before, like those intermittent times he accidentally was able to use his powers at some lucky time or place. This time... ...this time he was able to will it to come when he wanted it. He smiled to himself, realizing his accomplishment, congratulating himself on his success, but he had to put that aside. Too much was at stake right now.

Jos was safe for now. He was worried about Kim, but he had the eerie feeling that the prizes Monkey Fist was taking away were more important. Whatever those two canvas wrapped items were, he could sense they were very dangerous, and he was almost sure what one of them was. Everything inside him was screaming to go find Kim and make sure she was okay. Still, Kim was more than capable of taking care of herself, and somehow, those items Monkey Fist had stolen gave him the overwhelming sense they had to be recovered. He decided he had to go after Monkey Fist first and try to take them back.

Ron ran over to the stone wall and found the small depressions. Using his fingers in the same way as before, he pressed down and the stone wall slid to the side. Rufus had already jumped back into his pocket and Ron bounded up the passageway, heading upwards toward the surface. Behind him, one of the ninjas began to stir.

* * *

Just as Ron left the chamber, Jos burst into it from the other side. Frustrated that it took her so long to pick the lock, she angrily stamped around the room, trying to find Ron, but saw no sign of him. There were only four unconscious monkey ninjas and an open passageway on the wall across the room. That, and the chute through which they fell into the room in the first place, were the only other ways out of the chamber. She looked up the chute, trying to figure out if Ron actually attempted going up it, but then yelled when something seemed to hurtle downward at her. A simian screech exploded in her ears as a monkey ninja came hurtling through the air at her just as there was an explosion of straw from the tall mound of chaff into which she and Ron had fallen. She nimbly evaded the attack and responded with a back kick, jump front kick combination that caught the monkey under the chin, lifting it up and sending it crashing down onto the floor, out for the count. She eyed the downed ninja with satisfaction, but it was short lived...

"Ahem."

Jos looked up, her face paling when she saw Kim climbing out of the straw mound with Will Du.

She did not look happy. Brushing herself off, Kim quickly scanned the chamber. She looked over the alcove and the altar, able to see that something was obviously missing, probably whatever Monkey Fist had come to steal. Then she stared at Jos angrily, making her blanch even harder.

"Okaaaay.", she said, voice grating, "This is interesting. Especially that last little maneuver I just saw."

"Good move, huh?"

"That wasn't what I was talking about.". Kim said irately.

Jos blinked, cringing at Kim's increasingly glaring eyes.

"Huh?", she croaked in confusion.

"Five ninjas.", Kim said, "Not bad. But where's Ron? He was not supposed to leave you alone."

"Uh.", she replied timidly, not wanting to get him in trouble again, "I think he went up through the wall there."

Kim glanced at the open corridor before looking back at her cousin.

"What do you mean 'think'?"

"He wasn't here when I got here!"

"What do you mean he wasn't here? He was supposed to stay with you!"

"He did!. He... ...he...", sputtered Jos, "I don't know! He must have had a good reason!"

Kim frowned even harder.

"What reason? Obviously he went after Monkey Fist, like he wasn't supposed to do! Do you know what Monkey Fist stole from that altar?"

"Uh, no. I didn't see him either."

"What do you mean you didn't see—?" she shouted, then suddenly cut herself off.

No longer interested in asking questions, and definitely cranked, Kim decided she wasn't going to get anything else out of Jos.

"Fine! Let's go.", she barked.

They all ran up the passageway, Kim in the lead. Jos ran alongside Will Du, not wanting to be any closer to her cousin than she had to be when she was this angry.

"Uh, Agent Du?", she said softly, not wanting Kim to hear her, " What happened up there?"

Will smiled at her as they ran, "Oh, we ran into some poisonous vipers. It appears your cousin has some... ...concerns about snakes."

Jos rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Oh, yeah. She really doesn't like them. So how'd you get past them?"

He pulled out his mobile database and punched a couple of buttons. On the screen appeared a snake charmer playing a long flute.

"This button turns it into a three dimensional hologram,", he explained, "which kept the vipers busy while we found the shaft and jumped in after you."

"Cool! I suppose that's standard issue for all top agents too, huh?"

Will blushed mildly, "Actually, no. I got it off the internet."

* * *

Outside the temple, GJ operatives were busy securing the perimeter, but deep into the jungle there was a clearing about five hundred yards away of which they were not aware. At one edge there was a large rock which had been displaced to one side, revealing a tunnel beneath it. Monkey ninjas guarding the perimeter, Monkey Fist waited in the clearing as a soft whirring noise came out of the air. He grinned evilly as the helicopter came into view and proceeded to land, its supercharged jet engine muffled to silent mode, Bates at the helm. As the monkey master climbed on board with his prizes, an unexpected commotion erupted close by and he turned back to see what it was. To his surprise, the buffoon had reappeared. The monkey ninjas had, of course, responded, but what came to his notice was the fact that he wasn't running. He was standing his ground against his minions, and succeeding remarkably well. Three ninjas were knocked out cold around him and four more were simultaneously assaulting him, but the sidekick had smoothly grabbed a knife hand strike by one ninja and threw him over his shoulder into another as he nimbly skipped away from two simultaneous sidekicks that struck thin air where he used to be.

"That's what I get for letting the monkeys clean up after me', he grumbled to himself.

"Enough!" he yelled, dismounting from the helicopter. The ninjas stopped attacking and pulled back, assuming defensive stances around Ron.

Turning to Bates, Monkey Fist said, "Take our trophies back to the residence and secure them. I shall be along shortly. You can pick me up at the secondary rendezvous point."

"At once, my lord.", replied the butler, who subsequently lifted the helicopter out of the clearing and quickly sped off into the night.

Monkey Fist looked back to Ron, standing firmly in a defensive stance, breathing steadily. The monkey ninjas remained ready to strike as the English lord calmly walked up, smiling.

"Well, well.", he said with that evil grin, "This is amusing. You're finally using the mystical monkey power you stole from me."

"You mean you stole from me!", countered Ron.

"Hardly.", the English lord replied snobbishly.

Ron sneered angrily at him.

"It's been what? Two years you been bumbling around trying to figure it out?", Monkey Fist said with a chuckle, "How long do you think that will last before you lose it again?"

"Why don't you just come over and find out for yourself?", Ron said testily.

Monkey Fist smiled ever wider, 'Yessss! Why not? After all, I still must repay you and your irritating little rodent for destroying the idols!"

"Uh-oh.", squeaked Rufus as he dived back into Ron's pocket.

Screeching, Monkey Fist jumped into the interrupted fray and attacked. His jump side kick was blocked with crossed fists. A straight fist attack to the face was blocked with a side arm block followed by a riposting middle section spear hand similarly blocked with a downward knife hand chop. Ron executed a leg sweep, but Monkey Fist easily jumped it, aiming a midair sidekick at his head. Ron rolled to the side and came back up ready for the next attack. Like a machine gun staccato, the attacks and blocks exploded between them, neither gaining the upper hand. Seeing their master not able to press an advantage, the ninjas charged in to help their master and soon had Ron backing up, giving ground as he desperately tried to keep from being overwhelmed. To Monkey Fist's aggravation though, Ron was doing it. He kept hammering at the buffoon with his ninjas, forcing him to stay more on the defensive, yet was not able to get inside his guard...

"Ron! What are you doing?"

Ron and Monkey Fist both froze in mid-strike, looking up in surprise at the tunnel entrance, as did the monkey ninjas. Kim, Jos, and Will Du stood there, Kim's face clearly registering angry disapproval. Ron looked at Monkey Fist, then back at Kim. 'Had she been watching me? Does she know what I can do now?', he thought suddenly. But then the look on her face was one of disappointment, not surprise... ...no, she didn't see him in action. She doesn't know. 'She should know!', he thought happily, "I can show her, not tell her!" It was the right thing to do! It was... ...wasn't time.

Abruptly, he broke away, yelling and running frantically from them all, a good number of the monkey ninjas trailing and trying to tackle him from behind. Kim closed her eyes in resignation and slowly shook her head before looking back to the villain.

Monkey Fist chuckled and leered smugly at Ron's retreating form, thinking, 'I knew that wouldn't last long.'

He turned his attention to the more important threat and tried to stare her down.

"I see you didn't appreciate my reception, Kim Possible.", he said, "Probably a little too sophisticated for you, I'm sure."

In a really foul temper, Kim was in no mood to trade quips.

"Forget it, Monkey Fist!", she grated between clenched teeth, "You of all people should know that theft of antiquities is a crime. Now hand them over!"

Screaming, Ron ran right between them and went on past, the monkey ninjas still trying to catch him.

Monkey Fist laughed, "I'm afraid it's a little too late for that! Now if you will excuse me, I have a date with Destiny. Come, my monkey ninjas!"

He bounded away into the jungle, quickly followed by his minions, including the ones chasing Ron, who finally stopped running and rejoined Kim, out of breath.

"Thanks, K.P.", he panted, "I was... ...running out of... ...steam there."

He drew up short as Kim said nothing, just nailing him hard with cold eyes for a moment before she looked at the jungle and growled in pure frustration. She knew that with their natural monkey abilities, her adversary and his troops would far outstrip any pursuit on foot they could give through this dense foliage. And now that there was definite danger afoot, she couldn't risk Jos in this environment any longer than necessary. She had to get her back home. Tensely, she pulled the Kimmunicator out and got their bearings by GPS tracking on the Kimmunicator, then led the way back to the temple site.

Back at the temple, Will Du activated his mobile database and told them that GJ had just located a suspicious aircraft heading away from the temple area, likely a chopper. That self-satisfied look still on his face, he said they would check it out. Feeling about as useful as a knot on a log, Kim could only feel more aggravated about it than she already was. She was the one who was supposed to be all that! She was the one who should have stopped Monkey Fist! Unfortunately, she had to take care of other 'unexpected' consequences... ...thanks to Ron! The first thing she had to do anyway was get Jos home, plus she didn't have the resources here to finish the job, as GJ did, so she was forced to let Will Du take the point on the mission. Likely as not, she also knew they would complete the mission before she could get back in time. Grudgingly she resigned herself to going back home without having accomplished a darn thing.

The three teens trudged back on board the GJ jet to which Agent Du needlessly escorted them. On their way back, Kim remained silent, fuming about the entire affair. Ron wanted to talk but didn't dare, seeing how seriously ticked off she was.

He soon found out how much when halfway home she abruptly pulled him aside to talk.

"Okay, Ron! What happened down there?", she asked hotly, "How could you expose Jos to danger like that when I told you specifically to keep her out of any fighting?"

"Huh?", he replied, flabbergasted, "What fighting? I locked her in a room to keep her safe!"

"What room? I found her in the altar room you fell into!"

"What? That isn't right! I took her out of that room and locked her up in—"

"Well, obviously you didn't get that right! Did you?", she interrupted, "I found her knocking out monkey ninjas all around her when I landed right after you guys!""

"Huh? That can't be, Kim! I was the one who—"

Ron stopped, tongue-tied, suddenly realizing he couldn't tell her what he did.

"You were the one who 'what', Ron?"

"Uh, I was the one. The one who..."

"What?"

"Who locked her up!", he riposted testily.

"So you said!", she hissed, "But that's not what happened, is it? She still was exposed to danger!"

"But I did try to keep her out of the fighting!" he tried to explain, exasperated.

"Yet you left her down in that altar room by herself to go after Monkey Fist!"

"No! That wasn't what happened!""

"Then explain how I found her there fighting with you nowhere in sight! Why were you up above ground going after Monkey Fist? You know you can't do that on your own!"

"It's not like that!... ...I had to-!... ...Look! You said yourself there wasn't supposed to be any fighting! This was purely a fact finding mission. How was I supposed to know?"

"I told you anything could happen! Can you imagine how I felt when I landed in that chamber to find her finishing off those five ninjas on her own?"

He stared, goggle-eyed at her, "Huh? Wait a minute! That didn't happen!"

"Oh? You weren't there. How would you know?"

His head began to ache. How did they wake up so fast? How did Jos get out?

"Uh.", Ron said in a daze, trying to soft pedal the situation, "Well, it was only five ninjas. Kim..."

"Doesn't matter!", Kim fired back, not buying it for a moment, "Sure! She could probably take out five ninjas! But what if it had been Monkey Fist himself? What if she got hurt, Ron? What would I say to Uncle Slim?"

Ron look at her with a contrite stare, not knowing how to explain it all.

"I'm... ...I'm sorry, Kim. I did lock her in that room to keep her safe. I don't know how she got out."

"Then you shouldn't have left her! I trusted you!"

"But!... ...But!..."

Her temper finally bursting, she yelled at him, "When are you going to stop being so 'Ronnish'!"

Wringing her hands and growling, she pivoted and stomped off back to the front of the jet. Ron stared at her, pale and shocked. She was still... ...still so angry, so... ...wrong! He turned and stared at the back of the jet, trying to figure out what was going on. Why was she reacting this way? Was it because they were dating now? Because she was being overprotective of Jos? These things sure didn't upset her so much when they were just best friends. He sighed in frustration. It didn't help he had to revert to "distraction mode" when she appeared. He had promised Sensei. He wasn't supposed to let her see what he really could do now, although he still did not see why. Rufus popped out of his pocket and climbed up to his shoulder muttering with worry, acting a little upset himself at Kim for her verbal attack on his human.

"Hey, Rufus, don't do that.", he said, calming the mole rat down, "It's not really her fault, though I sure wish I knew what was going on with her. Maybe it's just a boyfriend/girlfriend thing."

His face became sullen as he muttered, "I know one thing, though. As a boyfriend, she sure treated 'Eric' a lot better than me."

Kim pulled out the Kimmunicator and beeped Wade.

"Hey, Kim. How did it go?"

She glared angrily at the screen.

"Well, it might have gone a little better if I had known that Monkey Fist would still be there!", she said testily.

"Huh?", said Wade, surprised, "Is everything okay? What about Jos?"

"Jos is fine! No thanks to Ron!", she growled, "And I really could have used better intel on this one, Wade!"

Wade blinked at her, a little shocked, "Sorry, Kim. I gave you all I had."

"Whatever.", she muttered, "Global Justice is tracking a chopper they spotted flying away from the scene. It might be Monkey Fist. See what you can find out, okay?"

"Sure thing, Kim. I'll get right on it."

"Fine! Later, Wade.", and she cut the connection.

Wade stared at his monitor, thinking, 'Gee! She's never done that before. What is she so upset about?'

Still fuming, Kim sat down heavily next to Jos, who wisely had kept her mouth shut. Kim kept musing over the screw ups on the mission which allowed Monkey Fist not only to get away, but also to take whatever he stole. She was angry again, too angry, and she knew she had to calm down. "Why am I doing this?', she thought. She had to think this through.

She kept still, dissipating her anger, and when she had done so, she turned to Jos, she said, "Ron said he had you locked in a room to keep you safe."

Her cousin looked at her timidly, "Uh, yeah, he did."

"How did you get out?"

Timidly, Jos took out her pick tools and showed her.

"You know the Showalters who live next to the ranch?", she said, "Well, he's the town locksmith and his son is one of my best friends out there. So, I learned a couple of things from him."

A puzzled look came over Kim's face, "You mean, you can pick locks?"

Jos looked at her uncomfortably as she said, "Well, yeah."

Kim grinned lopsidedly at her, "Hmmmmm, nice job. Good to know you can do that."

But then she frowned again and said, "But Ron still shouldn't have left you."

"You can't blame him, cuz, He didn't know I could get out."

"Maybe, but you shouldn't have been fighting either."

"Well, it's not like we had a choice, right?", Jos said in some exasperation.

Kim could feel the anger rising again. She quickly clamped it down, again wondering why she got so angry so easily.

"You did!", she still said testily, "I told you to stay out of the fighting!"

"But, Kim.", Jos said pleadingly, "Then you really can't blame Ron. If you're going to blame somebody, blame me. And considering I had no idea what your sitch was with all those ninjas, I still would have done it to get back to you and help out! You want me do your chores next month? Fine. I'll do them."

Kim grimaced, and then slowly, grudgingly, nodded in agreement. Jos was right. She couldn't really be blamed for that.

"No... ...No, Jos.", she said, "It's okay. You did fine this time."

Jos relaxed and smiled. Kim smiled back, then she thought how badly she harshed at Ron, realizing how unfair she had been. Her anger had won out over reason, again, and she slowly exhaled, regret filling her. She shouldn't have treated him like that, and knew she had to make it right. Getting up, she went towards the back of the plane, finding him still there. His back was to her as he was talking to Rufus. She was about to say she was sorry when she heard him...

"I know one thing, though. As a boyfriend, she sure treated 'Eric' a lot better than me."

Stunned, she stopped cold, appalled.

'How could he say something like that?", she thought.

Her face went pale and her eyes misted over, her vision obscured by the tears. Silently she turned around and slipped back to the front of the jet without Ron ever realizing she had been there.

* * *

It was days later when they learned from Wade that GJ managed to track Monkey Fist down. The monkey master had disappeared after that last temple raid and escaped to a hidden lair somewhere, but they knew his helicopter's unique signature now. When he next flew out, they captured him with overwhelming force in Singapore. He was turned over to Singapore authorities for extradition back to England. That, at least, solved another of Kim's concerns, but Ron was more worried about the artifacts he had stolen. He felt they still needed to be recovered, and soon. On his own, he talked to Sensei on his Kimmunicator and relayed what he suspected. Sensei agreed with his assessment and told him that the Yamanuchi school would look into recovering the stolen items. Ron wished him luck as he ended the call. Later he let Kim know about the communication with Sensei to keep her in the loop of information. Kim looked at him rather blandly, just saying, "Thanks.", which bothered Ron as it was clear Kim was still troubled with him.

Why he was mulling that over at this very instant, he didn't know, but he shouldn't have been. It was a distraction. He grunted as he hit the sand of the horseshoes pit again. Groaning, he slowly got back up and dusted himself off. His opponent glared at him from the other side.

"What is the matter, Ronald? You are not concentrating at all.", said Nana, relaxing from her crane stance, "You've been able to counter that move in the past without a problem."

"I'm sorry, Sifu. It's just... ...No. I have no excuse. I've got some things on my mind. Can't seem to keep it together for the exercise."

He looked at her calmly, but Nana could see the worry in his eyes. She regarded him closely, then sighed.

"Come inside, Ronald. No more will I teach you this day."

As she headed for the house, he retrieved the horseshoe stakes and replaced them in their proper positions so that other residents of the village could use the sand pit for its original purpose. After that he joined her in the kitchen. Nana went to the refrigerator and poured him a glass of milk and set it on the table along with the chocolate chip cookies she had baked that day. She had taught him the recipe too, along with the lemon squares, and he honestly thought they would give Granny Crockett's cookies a strong run for the money. Ordinarily he would relish the treat, but now he sat glumly and nibbled tastelessly on one as Nana took the chair next to him. Ron was more than happy to let Rufus do the majority of the eating this time.

"What troubles you, Ronald?", she asked softly.

He chewed awhile not saying anything at first.

"It's Kim."

Nana slowly nodded her head, "I see."

"I'm worried about what's happening to her. She really came down hard on me this last mission."

"And should she have?"

"She never did before, not this bad... ...not like this."

He told her about the Cambodia mission, and she listened quietly before answering.

"So why did she act as she did?"

He just shrugged, exasperated.

"You know what Sensei said about her? What he told me?"

Nana nodded gravely, seeing where this was going.

"Is this part of whatever she has to work through?", he asked, "You know, I didn't believe what Sensei said at first, but I see now she is different. She's different. Nana, she's the kindest, gentlest person I know, but she has never been this, this harsh with anyone. It's almost... ...almost cruel. Can't she see what she's doing? She's been through worse problems than this, hasn't she?"

Nana sighed deeply.

She said, "Ronald, my granddaughter is one of the strongest people I know. But ever since April, she has been terribly hurt."

Ron looked at her in consternation and confusion, not sure where she was going.

"What do you mean 'since April'?"

Nana continued, "It was the diablo mission and what led up to it. I am aware of what happened to her then."

"Well, yeah.", he replied, still not seeing what Nana meant, "That was the toughest mission we ever had, and that's when we started being BF-GF, you know. I thought maybe that was why, the fact we're dating."

"No, Ronald.", Nana replied, "It's not really because of that. It's because she lost her faith... ...her faith in herself."

Ron stared, shell-shocked.

"Wha—", he sputtered.

"She has not said anything to me.", Nana continued, "But I know that entire mission has severely damaged her self-confidence. She no longer believes in herself like she once did. When that happens to someone like Kimberly, it can change the person she is, and everything and everyone around her."

"But how? Why?", he protested, "I can understand the stress. That mission was the most dangerous one we ever had! Drakken really almost had us, and he came closer to taking over the world than ever before! But she came through that like the champ she always is! We went back to the prom as if nothing had happened!"

"But something did happen. Didn't it, Ronald? Yes, she hid it well. But something was shattered that night. A relationship was shattered."

"What? Kim and I didn't change!"

"Not you, Ronald.", Nana explained, "Her boyfriend..."

"You mean the synthodrone? But it was a thing! It was fake! It wasn't even a relationship!"

"Not in her mind... ...not in her heart..."

Ron blinked, bowled over by that.

"But...but... It makes no sense! She's Kim Possible! She can do anything! She can overcome anything! How could that affect her like that?"

"How would you feel if you were suddenly betrayed that way by your first love, your first truly deep love?"

Ron's face went white as he finally understood.

"I didn't realize it was... ...She felt that strongly? That deeply?", he whispered.

"Oh yes, Ronald.", she said solemnly.

"She's... ... she's so bitter, Nana."

He grimaced, looking away for a moment before whispering, "Oh, God. I didn't see that at all. So that's why she is doing the things she's doing... ...Is that why she harshes on me like that?"

"As to her 'harshing', as you say, I think she's actually being hard on herself, not you."

"By taking it out on me."

"Well, yes. Now I don't think she means to, Ronald. She blames herself for the mistakes on the mission. Before, whenever something didn't go right... ...well, she adapted."

"True...", he replied, "But when something did go wrong, it usually was me, and Kim never really blamed me before. She took it in stride and we, like you said, adapted. We simply got around it and still got the job done."

"But you see the change now, don't you?", asked Nana.

Ron's eyes stared into space, unfocused, trying to absorb it all.

"Yeah... ...yeah."

"So you see,", she continued, "You're not the problem with my granddaughter, just a convenient excuse. She's in a lot of pain right now..."

That only caused Ron more pain himself.

"I've got to do something, Nana!", he pleaded, "I've got to help her!"

"You are, Ronald, just by being there.", she said supportively, calming him down, "But you must understand. She must work through this on her own."

"But why? Why can't I tell her what I can do? Why can't she know how much I can help her? It would make her feel better, maybe make her more confident!"

"Would it, Ronald? If you try and force such a discussion with her, she might push you away."

"She wouldn't do that!"

Nana smiled at him sympathetically...

"...Would she?", he suddenly asked in fright, "I mean... ...Nana, she's my best friend ever! More than that, I-"

"More than that, you love her..."

Speechless, Ron gaped at Nana a long time before slowly nodding.

"Yeah... ...yeah, Sifu. I love her. I never really knew how much until I came back from Japan this last time. But I do."

Nana smiled, "I know, Ronald. I know."

"What do I do, then?"

"I want to make sure that you understand that you must wait to tell her about your new training and abilities. Do you?"

"I understand that, Sifu.", he replied, looking miserable, "but I still think it's better to tell her when I can."

Nana pursed her lips as she looked down at the floor, "You may be right, Ronald. Knowing exactly what you can do and how you feel about her could be a great comfort to her."

"Of course it can! I need to help her get over this! I need her to know I'm there for her one hundred percent. She needs that support!"

"That's 'possible'...", Nana replied, looking up at him with half-closed eyes, "And you are sure she'll accept this incredibly new found talent that you have, these wonderful powerful abilities you've now gained, and of course she knows you're completely responsible enough to use them properly..."

Ron stared at her in consternation, "Well... ...when you put it that way..."

"Now you see how it can backfire on you. I don't know the answer, Ronald.", answered Nana, "It could very well happen that way, and things would be so much better... ... unless she doesn't believe you."

"Why wouldn't she? We're BFF's!"

"Ronald..."

Ron frowned in frustration as he thought it through, "Yeah, I'll tell her and then... ...and then... ...she'll give me that 'child-like wonder' look again, but then..."

Nana didn't answer.

"Then she'll just dismiss me out of hand."

"Until..."

"I actually do something right. The she'll be so surprised I was actually telling the truth."

"Yes..."

Ron continued to think it through.

"She would be accepting of it and happy."

"It's 'possible'..."

"Or... ...she'll be angry, and fearful, and disgusted I didn't tell her before, and..."

"She'll shut you out, and away from her."

"I can't believe she would do that, Nana."

"Do you want to take that chance right now?"

Ron sighed heavily, his face disfigured such an aching look.

"I don't know, Nana.", he whispered, "What do I do? When should she know?"

"The prophecy will guide you on that."

Ron rolled his eyes, clearly frustrated.

"Great! So I stay the buffoon for now, until..."

"Until the prophecy shows you the time to tell her."

"Okay, fine!", he said quietly,

His look changed, becoming more introspective.

"Actually, it shouldn't even matter, though. There is the other reason why I shouldn't tell her."

Nana frowned at him, "What are you saying?"

"It's a moot point whether I tell her not. Whether or not she finds out the truth about me doesn't mean much... ...if I'm not going to be around."

Nana paled, a look of realization coming over her, "Sensei showed you more than I had thought. You know what the future may hold for yourself."

"Yes, Sensei showed me.", he said grimly, "If I will follow that path, I won't survive it."

"Not so, Ronald!", Nana said forcefully, "Don't say that. Don't think it. You can survive it."

"But I saw the vision, Sifu.", he said dejectedly, "You know I got no more than a snowball's chance in──"

"It's not a death sentence, Ronald! Yes, you will face great danger. I know your chances are... ...not good, but you cannot give up! You must keep hope!"

"But in the end, I have to take that risk of almost certain death, to keep Kim from having to face certain death herself."

'Yes, Ronald. Neither Sensei nor I could see any better path. This gives you both the best chance, slim as it is, to survive the coming storm whatever it is..."

"Wonderful.", Ron replied in resignation, "I love her with all my heart, Nana. I don't know how she feels about me, but... ...but there is something there. I know it. But you see, don't you? It's going to be hard enough for her to lose her BFF, but if against all probability, she returns my feelings... ...Nana, how could I make her go through losing two loves like that? Eric was bad enough. Losing me in that way would tear her apart completely. If I don't let it go that far, maybe it won't hurt her so bad."

He looked so forlorn as he said the words.

"No, Ronald.", she contradicted, "The reason you have to wait to tell her is not that, I assure you. She just needs time to heal, to realize again her own self worth. If the time comes to tell her, and you still have that idea in your head, you must dismiss it immediately. Please. It isn't right to do that to her."

"How?", cried Ron, "I can't hurt her that way. I just can't."

"Ron, you must trust me on this. I have faith that the time will come when you will be able to tell her everything, that you have fulfilled your role as the Chosen One, that you love her, and she will accept it. You cannot give up hope for that.", Nana repeated, "It is all we have in the end. Remember, it is difficult to interpret the prophecies. It can still work out in your favor. I have faith it will."

Ron shook his head slowly, "But you know how slim my chances are."

Nana looked away, pain on her face, before facing him again.

"You would make that sacrifice anyway, won't you... ...For my granddaughter. To protect her even if that came to pass?"

Ron's face was stone.

"Sensei already asked me that. You know the answer."

Nana nodded, softly answering, "I know..."

She said nothing more on that. It was Ron's choice to make in the end in any case.

"Very well.", she said, "Then we will do what we can."

"Good enough.", he said, "But, Sifu, tell me. How good am I now? I need to know. Am I good enough to do this, to be... ...at least kind of 'all that'?"

Nana managed to smile, replying after a pause.

"She still has the edge on you in experience.", she said, "And she always has had the major command potential, but that is part of the Prophecy. You have trained hard and well. In terms of actual fighting ability, you are almost her equal now."

"Really?"

She nodded slowly.

"I believe so.", she said, "Sensei has also confided this to me from the visions he has seen. I know that what makes you and Kim successful is your being together. The Prophecies were meant to interact. They would fail, and you and Kim would ultimately fail, if you two are forced apart."

He shook his head again, still trying to understand it all.

"Okay, that's it!", he said in exasperation, "Exactly, what are these prophecies? Specifically?"

Nana bit her lower lip as she said, "It's not time to reveal that to you just yet."

Ron stared at her in disbelief...

He had just figured out he couldn't tell the love of his life anything about what he could do, and had to stand there helplessly as she suffered through the worst personal crisis he's ever seen her go through, and even if he could tell her, he might not live long enough to tell her, and also he couldn't tell her because he couldn't risk tearing her heart apart again if he didn't survive. All that! And now Nana can't tell him why? He guffawed at her.

"Really?!", he said this time in a totally irreverent manner, "You can show me visions of my impending doom, but you can't at least tell me the reasons behind it?"

He shook his head and threw his hands up again in frustration, "Okay, fine! What can you tell me?"

She laughed, glad for the mood change, answering, "Do you know why you have been able to master Tai Shing Pek Kwar so fast? To do in mere months what it usually takes years to achieve?"

Ron looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before saying, "I supposed it's because I got hit with the mystical monkey power from the idols."

"True.", she said, "But do you think you were hit with that power randomly? That the idols would have given that power to just anybody?"

"But they gave it to Monkey Fist."

"Yes and no. He was fated to play his part. But you are the Chosen One."

Ron scoffed at that, "Hmph! Some 'Chosen One' I'm turning out to be. I can't even help out my girlfriend!"

Nana laughed again, softly, glad he was able to deal with this as well as he was.

"Oh yes, you do, Ron, you really do. More than you know. As the Chosen One, you are foretold by Prophecy, so you do have your part to play, too. But you are the Chosen One for one special reason."

He thought about it before the look of understanding came into his eyes, "Kim..."

She smiled, "You are beginning to see. Good."

"So it's all pre-ordained?"

"Oh, yes.", she replied gravely, "But only to a point. Remember that you can still fail. The Prophecy states what would happen then as well. But consider this. You know Kim has mastered sixteen different styles of Kung Fu. How do you think she did that?"

Ron snorted and replied, "Well, duh! Because she's Kim Possible! She can do anything!"

"But how did she accomplish that at such a young age, Ronald?"

He stared at her for a long time, then it hit him.

"You mean, she's a 'Chosen One' too?"

Nana smiled, "You could say that. As I told you, there are prophecies... ...and there are Prophecies."

"So is she part of the Prophecy that talks about me?"

"Not quite. The Prophecy that affects her is different from the one that affects you, but they are interwoven."

"Jeez!", he said, annoyed, "Why can't this be simple? Why can't they just spell it out? You know! One, two, three! And boom! There it is! So now what happens?"

Nana smiled, "All in good time, Ronald. We all must play our roles at the right times with the right knowledge."

"Arrgghhh!", he groused, "Why does all this magic stuff have to be so complicated?"

She laughed aloud as he finished off his milk and cookies, which didn't take long as Rufus had already done the majority of that work. Afterwards, he put on his windbreaker and helmet, getting ready to go back to the airport on his scooter when Nana came up and gave him a brown bag with more cookies in it for travel snackage.

"Thanks, Sifu,", he said, "I'll concentrate better next time. I promise."

"I know you will, Ronald. Take care of yourself. I'll see you next week."

"Sure will, and thanks for the 4-1-1, too. But you know, I will be sooo glad to get all this 'Prophecy' stuff settled and out of the way. It's such a hassle!"

"It can be.", she replied wistfully, "It can be. Bye bye, now."

"Bye.", said Ron as he started the scooter and drove off to catch his flight.

Nana watched him go until he disappeared, thinking. She believed Ron would succeed, hoping he would be patient enough when he found out figuring out the Prophecies will likely take the rest of his life. She knew it would be even more difficult for him just trying to understand how the Prophecies would affect those who would inherit the legacy he and Kim would leave them.

Still, it was important for Ron to wait to tell Kim, and though the explanations she and Sensei had given him were somewhat contradictory, they were still both completely valid. But it was not the critical factor in making him wait. Sensei had shown him the vision as to his own possible fate. But he had not shown him Kim Possible's fate if she found out too early about his true feelings.

'It is critical that she not learn of his abilities too early.', Nana thought, 'but more important, if she learns too early how much he loves her, she won't survive the consequences."


	6. Chapter 6

A few days later, Kim picked up Monique outside her house. They drove off towards the mall, supposedly to have some fun shopping, but it wasn't long until Monique noticed that Kim wasn't at all in the mood for it. Something had her really cranked, or worried, or both. The conversation was markedly short and terse on Kim's part despite Monique trying to engage her, something she never had to try hard to do before. Frustrated, she finally just stayed quiet, waiting for her friend to restart the conversation, to see how preoccupied her mind was, and after waiting for more than five minutes...

'Oh yeah, Kim's mind is definitely wandering around in the ozone somewhere out there.', she thought.

"Okay, what is it?"

"Huh?", said Kim, caught unawares.

"Spill, girl. You are definitely tweaked."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"No way!"

"Way. You just ran that stop sign back there."

"HUH!"

Kim hit the brakes, making the tires squeal as she looked back behind her. The intersection she just passed through did have a stop sign. But what convinced her Monique was right was the SUV which had skidded off to one side, its driver having stepped out and shaking his fist at her, and aiming a few choice words in her direction about kids being too young to drive. She groaned and slumped her head onto the steering wheel in disgust. After a moment she opened the window and yelled out "sorry!", and drove off again, her mood worsened. At least, there had been no damage done. She would have had to go back and sort things out, and the last thing she needed was a traffic ticket when she had barely gotten her unrestricted license. 'That would have made her mood really intolerable', mused Monique, waiting.

She waited thirty seconds more, then...

"Kim."

"What?", she snapped, "It's nothing, Monique! I'm cool!"

"I've seen better cool on a Smarty Mart fashion model."

Kim glared at her momentarily before turning her eyes back to the road, growling in annoyance. She said nothing more as she reached the mall and pulled into the parking lot. They got out and headed for the mall entrance, Monique waiting patiently, and she was soon rewarded. Kim almost made it inside before she finally blurted it out.

"Okay! It's Ron!"

"Now what?"

"It's just that!... ...He's...", she sputtered, "He's... ...he's being Ron again!"

Monique stared, suspicious.

"And that's different because..."

"This last mission! He was so... ...so... ...Ronnish!"

Monique sighed, rolling her eyes "So? That's never been an issue for you before! After all the missions you two have been on, why are you bothered by that now?"

"It's just... ...it's just..."

Kim abruptly went silent, realizing she couldn't say exactly what it was.

"It's the dating thing, isn't it?", said Monique, finishing it for her.

Kim looked aghast at her.

"No, Monique! No! That hasn't anything to do with it!"

Monique kept staring at her, disbelief clearly etched on her face.

"Girlfriend, this is Monique you're talking to. You don't want to be trying to fool me, or yourself. Now, let it out."

"No, Monique. That's no—"

"Come on!"

"You don't understand! I—"

"Out with it!"

Sputtering, Kim glared, and then gave in, very uncomfortable and looking away...

"I'm... ...not sure, Monique.", she stammered, her voice strained, "I mean, yeah, he was doing his usual things, distracting the opposition, getting into trouble, having to be rescued, screwing up..."

"Which he's done a hundred times before."

"I know! It's just, well... ...different now."

"Shuh! He's your boyfriend!"

"No, that's not it!", Kim stated emphatically at first.

Then she whispered, "Well, yeah, it is..."

Monique's eyes softened, but remained insistent and intent.

"Of course it is, Kim! Look, you're seeing him differently. You're expecting more."

Kim reacted, her face flashing a lost look, wracked with consternation and uncertainty.

"...I don't know... ...Is that so wrong? I... ...I..."

Monique crossed her arms and met Kim's gaze with half hooded eyes.

"You're having second thoughts about Ron, aren't you? As your BF?"

Kim looked at her with the most anguished miserable look Monique had ever seen on her friend.

"It's wrong, Monique. I know it is.", she said morosely, "He's my best friend. And he's perfect as my BFF. But that's not how I feel my boyfriend should be."

"You don't want your BF to be your BFF?", Monique asked, confused.

"Yes! Yes, I do!", Kim clarified emphatically, "I want him to be that, too, But I need him to be... ...to be..."

"More than that.", Monique finished.

Kim looked at her longingly with tear filled eyes.

"So you really do mean 'all that'."

Kim nodded slowly, "It's wrong, I know. I shouldn't feel that way. I shouldn't make him have to... ...I shouldn't make him live up to that. But I can't change what's in my heart."

"So what are you going to do?"

Kim tried to speak, and the words couldn't come out. Monique didn't know. Nobody knew. Nobody knew what a fraud she had become. The once mighty Kim Possible who could do anything... ...now unable to handle even the small matter of a broken heart, or was it more than that? What could she handle? She didn't even know anymore, and now all she was doing was playing her BFF, being dishonest. She stared at her best GF, wanting so much to tell her everything, and the words just simply would not come out. She loved her BFF, Ron... ...as a BFF. There was never any doubt of that. But that was nothing compared to what Eri- ...to what the synthodrone made her feel. Even now, even knowing what a cold unfeeling machine it really was, she could still see and feel and hear the funny, warm, generous, loving person she thought it was. It was a magnificent masquerade, one that had worked so well on her.

She was able to get past the betrayal, could accept she had been duped by a murderous robot. But what the synthodrone had awakened in her heart was a consuming desire for someone who could match her, someone who was just as powerful and skilled, as nurturing and loving as 'Eric' had been, as attentive and as 'normal', and as accepting of her special situation. True, the false Eric didn't go out and beat down super-villains, but in everything else, it seemed like he was indeed perfect. God knows how incredibly difficult it was to get other boys in school to take an interest in her. After all, most guys really didn't like the idea of a dating a girl who could literally wipe the floor with them, blindfolded. It made it so hard, socially. And she found that was what her heart wanted, a man who could envelop her, surround her in her arms and make her feel protected, to make her feel like she was completely safe without her own abilities having to have anything to do with it, someone who had no ego to bruise, who would just let her do her thing and save the world...

...and then save her when nobody else was looking, when nobody else needed to be looking, when she really needed saving herself. 'Maybe', she thought,'The best thing is to just give up the whole world saving altogether. That way, I could have a normal relationship.'

But there was no way Ron could fill her heart the way it now wanted to be filled. God! He had been so irritatingly incompetent lately! And then there were his soooo lame excuses?...What was she even doing with him? But then, she didn't even know before what she wanted in a boyfriend, a lover, a life mate, until the synthodrone unintentionally, or maybe intentionally, awoke her desires, and made her see clearly for the first time what her heart required, what it needed... ...and it certainly wasn't in Ron.

Suddenly guilt filled her. She shouldn't think about Ron that way. She looked at Monique, her face painted with a mask of bravado, knowing what would be the proper thing, the kindest thing...

"I know what's the right thing to do.", she finally was able to get out, "I should accept him as he is."

"Can you?"

Kim's face wrenched into a painful grimace.

"I know I can't keep this up. I mean, he starts doing all these crazy things, and, I don't know why, but it just absolutely drives me insane! Like this last Cambodia mission! He totally screwed up. He didn't do what I asked. He didn't keep Jos safe like I told him to do. He put himself as well as Jos in danger...again!...trying to go after Monkey Fist when he knows darn well he can't take him on, forcing me to come after him and save him yet another time, while we completely lose Monkey Fist and whatever it was he stole! Only to get shown up by, of all people, Will Du, who is probably laughing himself silly right now! It was a total bust! And now, for some reason, I just can't keep my temper down when that happens!"

Monique stared at her, "Kim, you are expecting too much from him right now. He has done good in the past. You know that! Don't you think you need to back off and give him a chance?"

"I can't chance it. It's too risky.", she said in a very small voice, "I have to be in control. It's the only way things are going to work. Being, you know, capable just isn't Ron's forte, so I have to do it for him. I was just hoping that in time, maybe, I'll be okay with the way he is."

"You're saying you don't think he could ever measure up, aren't you?", asked Monique pointedly, "You don't believe he can ever be 'all that'."

Kim looked ready to cry her heart out, "I think he knows, Monique... ...or at least suspects I... ...I can't accept him."

"How?"

"I can't seem to help myself", Kim protested, "I don't know why, but it keeps coming out of me! And it horrifies me!"

"What, Kim?"

Kim looked at her, her face radiating fear, her voice whispering as she said it, "...contempt..."

Monique's face grimaced in pain as she understood.

"Kim.", she said solemnly, "If you are doing that, you are really going to lose him."

"I know...".

Kim broke down and started crying. Monique gathered her into her arms and just held her, letting her cry it out until she could get herself back together. She took some tissues out of her purse and let Kim have them, letting her dry her face before she could continue.

"I can already tell he's starting to resent it, Monique.", she said, "And if I don't find a way to fix this, I know I'll lose him... ...forever."

Monique replied, "No, Kim. I don't believe that. Ron would never do that. You aren't giving him enough credit."

"He will... ...I will drive him away, "Kim said, sniffling, "He'll feel like he won't have a choice."

"But why are you doing this, Kim? How is this happening?", Monique asked in exasperation.

Kim reached out and hugged her best girlfriend hard.

"I... ...don't know...", she gasped, "I don't think I can do this anymore... ...the missions, the danger, putting away the bad guys, any of it."

"You mean, even saving the world?"

Kim didn't answer, softly crying tears into her best friend's shoulder.

"Talk to me.", Monique said, "Let me help you."

Kim slowly pulled back and shook her head as she whispered, "I want to... ...but I can't, Monique. I can't... ...not right now. I can already tell he's troubled about how I treat him, just from the way he responds."

"What do you mean?", she asked, "Did that boy do something to you?"

"No, Monique, no. Not really. It's just... ...Well, it's just that it really shouldn't have bothered me so much.", Kim said hesitantly, "I don't know why it did, but it was when he said..."

"Said what?"

Kim looked back up at her, and Monique saw more pain in Kim's face than she ever had before.

"He said I treated 'Eric' better.", she muttered quietly.

Monique's eyes opened as wide as her mouth.

"Whoa! He said that? To you?", she shot back angrily, "Then that boy doesn't deserve you! By the time I get finished with him, he'll think going ten rounds with Steel Toe is a piece of cake!..."

"No, Monique! No!", Kim said desperately, "He didn't say it to my face! He didn't mean for anyone to hear it! I accidentally overheard him talking to Rufus."

"I don't care!", Monique spouted, still irate, "If he's going to trash talk my girl like that, he's getting a piece of my mind!"

'Please, don't, Monique. Let me do it! I'll talk to him."

Monique pulled Kim back into a strong embrace, giving her all the support to her best friend that she could. She could feel Kim melt into her, Still crying, but accepting her friend's love eagerly, her body starting to relax and let the tension go. Slowly, she managed to bring herself out of her spiraling breakdown. Monique was so worried she was going to just disintegrate again right there in front of her, then breathed a sigh of relief as her best friend managed to regain her self-control once more. Kim finally pulled back and looked at her.

"Are you sure?", asked Monique.

"I'm sure.", said Kim, her mood calmer, "Look, I'm truly sorry about this, and I'm really, really grateful that you want to help. But I gotta get some answers for myself. I've got to figure this out for myself, and I think I need to start with Ron. That way I think I can get a better idea of what to even understand about all this. Then I want to talk to you, and I will tell you all about it afterward. I promise."

"You're sure?", her friend replied, eyeing her critically, "Good. 'Cause I can see you've got some serious stuff going on here with your BF. And I do think you need to do some talking to that boy. Then you need to let your BGF here in on the downlow, you dig?"

"I'll keep that in mind.", Kim said.

"Then let's go do some serious shopping, okay?"

Kim took a deep breath and smiled back, her calm restored despite the turmoil inside her.

And Kim joined her, though not as eagerly as she normally would have. Images of 'Eric' continued to assault her mind, invading her thoughts, and for all of Ron's good qualities, she couldn't see him matching the synthodrone. She could see it just wasn't in him, just not in his personality, at least not that she could see. Friendship? Yeah. Beyond that? It just wasn't there. Worse, it also required that she risk her heart again, and she couldn't do that either, not after Eric. even with some one as safe as Ron. She suspected Monique had figured all of this out nonetheless.

As for talking to Ron, Kim said she would do it, but she didn't believe she could. Would he even understand if she did? She doubted it. What would happen if she told him everything she felt, how ambivalent she was? It petrified her with fear. She so wanted to make it work. She desperately did, because she knew she felt something for him, something deep. But she dreaded telling him she couldn't give him the same commitment he had promised her, and she was so sure Ron wouldn't understand and go so 'Ronnish' on her as to threaten the relationship, and possibly even end their friendship.

That terrified her far more than anything.

* * *

_Born in the year of the dragon under the month of the rat, shall come she whose time will ring with the dragon's wars._

_Born in the year of the dragon at the hour of the monkey, shall come she who shall thwart all evil._

_Born in the year of the dragon and of the earth shall come she whose soul shall be the monkey and whose friend shall be the rat._

_Born in the year of the dragon enveloped in fire and full knowledge from birth shall come she of the great Trine, and all three shall save the world._

The lights in the living room of the duplex were dimmed low as the glow of several candles flickered in the center around the old woman seated in lotus position, completely still. Her breaths were slow and deep, serene and peaceful. But her face belied lines of worry.

For so many years had she lived with those words. In the beginning she had thought they referred to her. It wasn't so. She had to wait for that special birth, for that special child to enter her life more than four decades later, her granddaughter. Over sixty years she had worked towards what was soon to come. Now the final, most crucial test was almost upon them.

As she meditated, a slight brilliance began to take shape before her, enlarging gradually and brightening to a deep amber hue, then coalescing into a distinct shape. She slowly opened her eyes, having sensed his presence without having to see him.

"How are you, old friend?", asked Sensei softly.

Nana smiled and replied, "I am well, and you?"

Sensei smiled back and nodded, "I, too, am well. But we both are concerned now."

"Yes.", said Nana, that concerned look coming back, "It is a dangerous time for a young dragon."

"So I have seen. Yet there is nothing to be done. Only she can resolve this."

"And if she cannot? What then?"

"All is not lost yet. We must stay our course. How goes it with the Chosen One?"

"It goes as planned. He has done well. I fear though, it is not enough."

"As do I. But we cannot predict what shall happen despite our foresight, nor can we interfere."

"I know." she replied in monotone, "Is there more?"

He slowly shook his head, "I have not been able to discern any further wisdom from the visions at this time. I shall continue to search them."

She nodded, "I know you will, my friend. So now, all we can do is wait."

He looked steadily at her with calm eyes, "Yes, and hope."

* * *

A week later, just before Halloween, Kim was busy in the gym with the junior varsity cheer squad, trying to watch them closely, but her mind kept wandering off. She had finally made up her mind to try and have that serious talk with Ron, and was trying to figure out just how to do it. It was keeping her from properly concentrating on the supervision of the girls' routines. She would have easily missed any mistakes they were making. Fortunately, they were doing quite well without her for the moment.

Slipping back into her thoughts again, she reasoned it out. The last five months had gone really smooth for them, until the last mission. She knew that at the end of it, she was out of line. She had apologized to Ron for harshing like she did. She owed him that much. But it became clear that things between them were cooler than before. It still upset her, still irked her sensibilities about how the mission ended overall, and deep in her heart she did blame Ron for it, at least partially. She didn't want to. Her brain kept telling her that was irrational, untrue, but her heart kept insisting on it. And she was sure Ron could not go on endangering the missions like that! To his credit, he never argued the issue, which of course only made it easier for her to procrastinate on even talking about it. She really didn't want that kind of confrontation as the beginning of trying to clear the air between them.

It mildly surprised her that he didn't even contest her 'concerns' on his performance, which is how she tried to present it. She wondered why. Normally he would be complaining loudly or sulking about it, usually getting pouty and bent out of sorts whenever she tried to make him see how he was being so irresponsible, or at least childishly moopy. But all he did was tell her he was sorry for the way things turned out and that he would definitely get his head into the game, including looking out after Jos, though that did little to reassure her. At least it seemed he was trying to take some responsibility. In any case, after that, everything seemed to pretty much go back to normal, though just on the surface of things. The tension still remained between them. She hoped she could use that as a starting point for a good heart to heart discussion... ...sometime.

For his part, Ron was just as perplexed. He knew something had changed. Maybe it was always there and it just didn't show up before now. He wasn't sure. He saw she was being more distant, even as he felt she never really had been that close to him in the first place. It was just that now it was more obvious. He thought of how he had seen some of the other cheerleaders and their BF's arm in arm in school. They were close to each other, but Kim didn't ever seem to be like that. If they were out on a date, she would sometimes take his arm, but it wasn't a spontaneous thing. It was like she had think about it twice before she did it. Sure, there were times she would relax and give him a hug or a quick kiss, but it seemed more like a 'best friend' hug or kiss, not like a GF. Something was holding her back, and it made the whole sitch was even more awkward and stilted. He didn't say anything about it though. He was happy just to be there for her. At the same time, he also didn't want to bring up a serious conversation about their relationship either. He didn't want to get asked questions he couldn't answer.

This was where they were on that October day, having dated for six months, as Ron came into the gym where Kim was supervising the younger girls through their routines, wanting to make plans to see a movie later that evening. At that moment, Kim was finishing up rehearsing the squad in the more refined techniques of nailing the top of the doghouse pyramid with a great dismount. She heard the gym doors open and saw him enter, and she smiled, waving 'hi'. The session had been a great one, which actually had her in a good mood, and she was especially excited with the performance of the last girl to nail the top of the pyramid, who happened to be Jos.

Since the mission to Russia, Jos had been the perfect pupil. Once Kim had gotten over her anger at the girl's rashness, she realized the ingenuity her cousin had shown was that rare trait she herself had, that ability to improvise immediately and effectively. It was apparent in the way she picked that locked door and took out the ninjas in Cambodia. It was the one thing Kim couldn't teach her, and now that she knew Jos had the talent, it finally convinced her she was ready for the next step. To Jos's delight, Kim started training her in all the special moves she and Ron had worked on since their preschool days, and the girl was absolutely focused on it, absorbing the knowledge like a sponge. It was clear how much she wanted to do this and her dedication showed. In fact, she did so well that Kim went further and decided to take her along on more missions even if there was some threat of danger, although she still drew the line on taking her on a mission that involved any major super-villains.

She was very pleased with Jos' progress, but that presented a problem she hadn't counted on facing so soon. She hadn't told her parents yet about Jos' new "hobby". Even more troubling, Uncle Slim knew she was being trained, but not that she was already going on missions. She needed to tell them, but Kim had procrastinated. She wanted Jos to have a proven track record before she let them all know what was happening, but she let it go on too long. Now, she was scared they'd become so alarmed at how much Jos was involved, that they might step in to stop Jos' training altogether, forbidding her from going on the missions, which likely would mean Jos would have to leave and go back home to her father. This made her sad as she actually did thoroughly enjoy having another girl in the house. She always tried to minimize the danger to her young cousin as much as possible, to keep her safe, and watching her perform with the squad eased her fears, seeing how capable she was becoming. She tucked the worry about telling her parents and Uncle Slim about her away. For now, Jos was doing a great job just nailing the pyramid, executing it perfectly as Ron approached.

When he reached her, Kim asked, "Hey Ron, What up?"

"Not much, K.P.", he replied, "Just thinking about what we're going to go see. How's practice going?"

"Great!" she said, eyeing the girls' performance with a satisfied look, "Anything in particular you want to go see?"

"Naw. I'm easy tonight. Your choice."

"No Bricks of Fury, part seven?"

"Nope.", he said with a pout, "They delayed the release for another two months. Looks like Jimmy Blamhammer wanted to get an early start on Monkey Ninjas in Space III."

"Ugh.", replied Kim distastefully, "Good thing we missed the first two."

"Yeah. The critics panned both of them."

She eyed him with a funny look momentarily. He normally didn't pay attention to critics at all.

"Okay. Well, we'll figure it out when we get there. Where were you this afternoon?"

"Oh, just got back from visiting your grandma Nana."

That really caught her attention. He had just been down there about a week before as well.

"Really? Again?", she said, staring at him suspiciously.

She crossed her arms and stared at him.

"Okay, spill. You've been seeing her a lot these last five months. What have you two really been up to?"

Looking nonplussed, Ron's tone was pure innocence as he replied, "Hey, it's no big, K.P. She 's been really great as a teacher. She's taught me about baking and meat dishes. Now we're working on pasta. And I've just been helping her out with things, you know. Moving a couch here, a chair there... ...you know, just guy and grandma stuff."

"Uh-huh.", Kim said, unconvinced, "I was sure manual labor was involved in there somewhere."

"Well, sure! And we've actually been trying out some of my new recipes too."

That reminded Kim of when they took Home-Ec together, not one of her best moments. Ever since then, he had been used as a tutor for that class. She had first resented that he could do something she couldn't, being so used to doing pretty much everything better than him or anyone else for that matter. She had always been driven by her quest for excellence, and she actually enjoyed that position of superiority. Of course, she would never dare voice it, except maybe to Bonnie. 'But she always asked for it.', Kim thought sullenly. However Ron's excellence in culinary affairs had truly put her to shame, literally, and she had to do some hard thinking about that. In time, she realized she was selling him short and that there were bound to be things he could do better than she could, and she further realized she had to accept that in her best friend and respect it. Of course, it was only cooking, something she wasn't really interested in learning anyway.

She gave Ron a measuring gaze, saying, "Hmmm, I thought maybe you were trying to weasel her lemon squares secret out of her or something."

"Heck, no, Kim.", he replied grinning, "That was the first thing she taught me, actually."

"Riiiight. Look, don't get me wrong, I think it's great you and Nana are getting to know each other, but you sure are spending a heck of a lot of time with her, more than I thought you would need to learn cooking."

"Worry not, K.P." he said with a confident smirk, "Actually, she's also been helping me with another little problem I've been having."

"What?"

Ron's face reddened slightly.

"Oh, well, you know... ...the losing my pants thing?"

Kim looked askance at him, making him lose his smirk.

"The pants thing? What's she doing? Sewing them to your hips?"

Ron winced, "Noooooo! But I'm going to solve that problem for good. Just you wait and see."

Rufus appeared out of his pocket and snorted in approval, "Yeah. Uh-huh."

Kim blinked, feeling slightly disgusted, thinking, 'Yeah, being Ronnish again...'

"Whatever.", she replied in dismissal as she turned back to the girls in the next pyramid to shout directions.

Ron said nothing. This was what Kim always did when she thought he was doing something silly or immature. There was no malice in it. It was just the old "child-like wonder" attitude she always gave him.

She turned back to him and asked, "So, sevenish?"

He smiled blandly and replied, "Sure. See you then.", and he turned and walked away.

Kim watched him as he went out the gym doors, now worried that somehow she might have offended him. He didn't pout as usual when she dismissed anything he did which was so childish. It was that pout that told her he was okay, that he knew she wasn't really getting on his case about it and he didn't mind. But this time he didn't act perturbed at all, which made her think he did mind. She remembered how there were times in the past he would get so upset when she tried to point out some goofy thing he was doing or to make him see he was doing something really immature. He would just accept it, they would smile, and things were copacetic again. He always knew she wasn't trying to put him down. But then she realized he hadn't hardly reacted like that at all since they started dating. It made her wonder if he was being bothered a lot more than he let on whenever she got on to him like that. 'Yeah, it's how I'm treating him now... ...Yeah.', she thought, 'Maybe you can do that with a BFF. But a boyfriend?... ...No.' She looked away, brows furrowed, wondering for the umpteenth time if they did the right thing, taking this big step as a couple.

Kim turned away from the practice mats, her face wincing with memories she did not want to bring up, but couldn't keep out. Yeah, she was a total failure with 'Eric', wasn't she? And now there was Ron. Was she going to be a total failure with him now? It grated on her. Ron was so inconsistent. He could show remarkable insight at times, like on the Russia mission, yet other times he was still the same old Ron, driving her nuts with his immature childishness, still screwing up. Again, she thought back to prom night, and the months before that with Eric.

With Eric...

"Kim? Kim, are you alright?"

Shocked out of her introspection, Kim looked down at Jos standing next to her, a worried look on her face.

"Cuz, what's the matter? Why are you crying?"

Surprised, Kim reached up and felt the wetness on her cheeks. Quickly, she wiped it away and regained her composure.

"It's alright, Jos. I just was remembering... ...something. I'm okay."

Jos frowned, "Are you sure, Kim? You're as white as an albino heifer."

Kim nodded to her, "I'm fine, Jos. I just need a little time. Do me a favor, will you? Take over for a while until I get back."

"Sure, cuz. I got it covered here.", she said, the worry still on her face.

Kim smiled her thanks and left the gym for the girls bathroom. She strode in quickly, grateful to find it empty, and stood before the mirror, studying her reflection. Her face had gone very pale like Jos said. Her eyes were still wet. She took a deep breath and exhaled, folding her arms about herself. The tears started again. This time, she couldn't stop them. Why did she feel this way?

Eric... ...Oh, Eric.

'Sure.", she thought, 'He was a thing. Nothing more than a synthodrone. And yet...'

And yet, he was so real to her. God, she had crushes before; Josh Mankey, Bobby Johnson, a couple of others. They were great, and the feelings were wonderful, but Eric was so, so perfect.

So perfect...

For the first time in her life, she had actually believed in love at first sight. She should have known better. But he had struck such a chord in her that resounded through her soul like nothing or no one had done before, touching her in a way that she had never experienced, and she couldn't help herself. Before she knew it, she found herself so completely in love with him. It shocked her. She never felt anything like this. Oh sure, she'd heard about it, dreamed about it, wondered about it, but actually experienced it? All of the words she ever heard on the subject could not have described an iota of what she felt then. It was as if he had been designed by heaven to fit her perfectly, as if the Almighty had formed him to be her soul mate. No one could ever be what he was to her. The tragedy of it all, of course, was exactly that. He had indeed been designed too perfectly. So how could she have let such an abomination happen? How could she have been taken in by an unfeeling murderous machine that manipulated her emotions so cruelly. What kind of incompetent, useless moron would do such a thing and not know the difference?

The guilt and shame overwhelmed her, making her cringe and shake. It was unbearable. Again, her logical side argued, 'It's no big! Okay, you got played! That's all! It doesn't mean anything! It doesn't change who you are or what you can do!"

Her heart wouldn't listen through the pain. Yeah, she heard the words her brain was telling her. But they meant nothing, nothing, because she knew she would never find anybody she could really love... ...nobody was that perfect. And besides, she didn't feel like she deserved it.

"How could you have been such an idiot?", she railed at the image in the mirror, "You should have seen through it! For goodness sakes, you're Kim Possible! You should have known better!"

Her words reverberated off the hard tile surfaces of the bathroom without answer. Leaning forward onto the sink counter on both hands, she hung her head down and sobbed quietly. When she looked back up, her image stared back at her as the recriminations flooded through her again. She didn't waste any more words on it. Instead, her logical mind intruded again, protesting that she was human, that she was allowed to make mistakes. Of course, it only made the pain worse in that she knew she would have completely failed that mission if it hadn't been for Ron, and she truly would be forever grateful to him for that. It led back to the memory of him that still surprised her, and which still unsettled her whenever she thought about it, the moment when they were tied up in the basement...

"You really think there's a guy out there for me?"

"Out there.", he replied, "In here."

"Oh! Really?"

With just two words, he had completely changed the way she saw him. 'And why then?', she thought, 'Why at that very moment?' Before that, there was no way she could look at Ron as her 'date', at least not for real. He was her best friend. You don't go around dating your best friend! Well, yeah you could, but... ...No! She just couldn't look at Ron as a real date. But that time, he just said straight out that he wanted to be the guy for her, even when he knew that saying so was more than likely just going to make her so cranked at him. He had never done anything that bold before, not that seriously anyway. That time, he didn't hedge one bit, or least hardly at all. And suddenly nothing was the same. Abruptly, her reflection came alive. Kim blinked, staring at her evil twin, the face twisted and hateful, the eyes red, and she dreaded the coming argument. The avatar frowned at her impatiently with that same dismissive look she would give Ron when he was being childish.

"So what's your ish?", it asked condescendingly, "You started it. You're the one who made it okay for him to be your boyfriend. Is he not good enough for you now?"

Stung, Kim frowned back, retorting, "That's not it and you know it! It's not him. It's—"

"You?", the image-Kim interjected, laughing, "Oh, Puh-leeease! How many times have you complained about his 'child-like wonder'", saying the last words mockingly with air quotes, "How many times have you cringed every time he ran off screaming from whatever was the phobia of the day? How many times have you tried to get him off his duff to do something, to make something of himself? How many times has he screwed up?"

"He's better!", Kim cried, "He's gotten better!"

"Oh yeah, suuuure he has...", image-Kim said derisively, "But he's not perfect, is he? Nowhere near it! And that's what you want, isn't it?"

Kim paused, momentarily silenced.

"That's not true.", she replied almost inaudibly, finding it hard to look at this devil's advocate incarnation of herself.

Image-Kim leered malevolently back at her, replying, "Like hell, it isn't! He will turn on you!"

Enraged, Kim shouted back, "Ron would never betray me!"

"Eric did! Don't you see. It's unavoidable! Because you can't cut it anymore!"

"Stop it! Nobody's going to betray anybody!", Kim wailed.

"Suuuuure!"

The Avatar's grin spread wider, malevolent red eyes leering, knowing she had her.

"He'll betray you just like Eric, because he'll find out you aren't worth it. Because you can never feel for him what you felt for Eric!", she sneered laughingly.

Kim froze, her face white as her fears were laid bare.

"That is what you're really scared of, Kimmie, aren't you? Because even though you say he is your boyfriend, you're sure aren't really treating him like it, right? So you know he'll figure that out eventually, and then he's the one who will dump you."

"No.", she said breathlessly, dread on her face, "That's not true. I won't let it happen."

"Sure it will!", said image-Kim gleefully, "But it's no big! Right? You've dated other boys! You had no problem breaking up with them!"

"Ron's different."

"Why?"

"Because he's my best friend! And I can't lose that."

"And so you put your friendship at risk?", she asked incredulously, "I ask again, why did you start dating him?"

"Because he deserves... ...no, we deserve a chance at it."

"A chance at what? You risk your BFF for a relationship that had no chance of succeeding?", shouted image-Kim, laughing again, "You are sooo not making sense. Why didn't you date him earlier? He was the same old Ron then! What makes you think he'll ever grow up any more than he has?"

Kim looked away, shivering from the cold that permeated her soul-bared body.

"I... ...I... ...I didn't think of him that way...", she stuttered, "I needed... ...After Bueno Nacho, I..."

Image-Kim cut her off.

"You mean that after Eric made you see exactly what kind of loser you are, and how incapable you are of being in this kind of relationship, didn't you? You know you can't afford to risk getting hurt like that again. It would destroy you. And what would happen to the 'great' Kim Possible then?"

Image-Kim cackled, her voice cracking like an old hag, continuing to degrade her.

"You proved soooo admirably how totally incapable you are of judging boys! Haven't you?", the avatar harangued, "You needed someone to take on that BF role, right? Someone easy to choose even if he wasn't the right one... ...and who better than your best friend who would never take advantage of you, like Eric did? Isn't that the real reason, Kim? Not that he 'deserved a chance'? What you did was play it safe!"

She shook her head emphatically, "No! No, that's not true!"

"Face it, Kimmie. You're really are rebounding. That's all Ron is to you. You don't trust him enough to open your heart to him like you did to Eric, right?"

"No!", Kim replied, getting angry again.

"Yes!", the avatar hissed at her, eyes now glowing horribly red, "You can't open your heart to him, and you can't trust yourself to open it up again, ever, can you?"

"NO!", Kim cried, angrily facing her again.

Kim glared at the ghostly image in the mirror, laughing so derisively at her. It made her anger at the disparagement of her BFF boil over.

"Hey! He can do a lot! He's capable in his own way!"

"So not!", laughed Image-Kim, "It's soooo obvious you don't really think that! He'll have to actually die before you would ever accept him as more than just your friend! And you know he'll never do that! He'll never measure up! You're still just playing him!"

"NO WAY!", she protested.

"As if! Like you have the choice!", spat the devil image, angrily pressing her advantage, yelling louder, "He'll see it in your eyes! He'll see you will never look at him like you looked at Eric! He will never believe you can love him like you did Eric, because he'll know you don't believe it yourself! He'll know you can't ever love anyone like that again! Much less him! Then he'll leave you no matter what!"

And she laughed at her with a derision that tore into Kim's soul, her eyes turning fiery with malevolence.

"It won't happen! I won't do that to him!", Kim shrieked as the image kept laughing, dissolving away and disappearing back into her subconscious.

The avatar was gone. Kim was left there staring at her tear stained face in the mirror again. Feeling abandoned and desperately alone, she looked around and saw the bathroom was still empty, then collapsed to the floor, breaking down and sobbing heavily again. She cried it out until she was finally spent. Then sighing heavily, still anguished, she got back up and calmly went to her locker, pulled out her makeup kit, and began to fix her face.

"It won't happen!", she muttered to herself... ...and yet, she felt so doomed that it would. She felt so horrible, so scared. She wanted to sink away somewhere into a small room and just hide, not wanting to ever come out again, and she began to think, 'I can't do this! I can't keep this up! I can't face it...!'

She couldn't save the world any more...

She completed her makeover and put her case away before going back out to the gym to finish the practice session with the junior varsity girls, which she did in short order. She still had to change and get cleaned up to meet Ron at the theater.

* * *

It was five months after Drakken had come to the realization of the reason for his defeat. His new plan in response to that was now coming into fruition. Shego as usual was instrumental, but working with her had been especially hard. Usually, she simply helped out with whatever he needed done, and did so willingly, if sarcastically. This time however, she was griping angrily about everything, procrastinating and resisting doing the work. Although he did get her to do what he needed, it took a lot longer than usual. All he could do was wring his hands in impotent frustration. How could he ever communicate his genius to someone with her inferior intellect so that she would stop complaining? And even if there was nothing specific to complain about, she just kept muttering how 'lame' this plan was, again.

He really hated the way she said 'again'. But he would show her. If she liked his last plan, he'll make sure she'll see that this next one was 'badical'. Preparations were nearly completed. He merely smiled when Shego griped about how cheap this new lair seemed to her, and then told her to 'wait and see'. What she didn't know was that he wanted to save as much money as possible, because this lair was going to be expendable. He had also built more synthodrones, much to her aggravation, to protect the place against invasion, specifically against them. She groaned when he told her that, but agreed when he asked her to try them out anyway.

"Didn't we do this once before?", she said.

"Trust me, Shego. Tell me what you think."

"Fine!", she said in resignation.

Still grousing, she did. When she was finished, (and to his aggravation she managed to wreck one of them as well), she still looked at him with that sullen glare, but grudgingly admitted he had improved them beyond those of the diablo mission. But it seemed she just had to find some fault when she said they didn't match 'synthodrone 901', saying he should build only those kind of synthodrones.

"At least the scenery around the lair would improve.", she remarked sulkily.

Resigned to suffer her barbs, he silently dismissed her comments. Nothing cheered her up! It made him even more worried about Shego's persistently gloomy mood. He thought back to 'Eric' momentarily, considering if maybe her idly voiced idea might actually have some merit, then dismissed it just as quickly. Synthodrone 901 had ultimately failed him in the end. Well, maybe he might make one just for her. 'It might amuse her, maybe.', he thought.

Then he frowned and muttered to himself, "No, she was pretty ticked off about that the last time. Hmmmph! She has no sense of irony, that woman. Well, perhaps some evildoing would suffice."

Almost a month earlier, he had intended to buy the missile technology he wanted and had sent her to get it. Unfortunately, Kim Possible had gotten to it first. He remembered how Shego came back empty handed, angry as he had ever seen her. She was spouting off how there were three of them and wasn't even making much sense until he was able to quiet her down and make her take a deep breath. Then she told him about Jos...

He thought about this, and smiled, reassuring her that he didn't consider it much of problem. She was obviously being trained by their arch-foe and for the meantime would be more of hindrance than a help.

"Hah!", she rebutted, 'You wouldn't think so if you got hit by her like I was!"

"She surprised you, Shego. You won't fall for it again."

"You bet I won't! I can't wait until the next time! I'll crush her like a rotten egg!"

"Well, you may get your chance sooner than you think. I was just trying to make things easy by buying the missile technology. I guess we'll just have to do it the old fashioned way."

"Finally!", she exclaimed eagerly, "I get to steal something!"

"Exactly, Shego", he replied with a wide evil smile.

Which was exactly what they did. Ironically, they went out and stole the same secret missile technology from the same lab, and he began incorporating it into his weapons at the new lair.

Now it was a month later, in late October, and he was ready to put it to use. Although Shego was still irritated about the synthodrones, she did learn to monitor their functions on the control panel and work them. He initiated the next phase of his plan and knew this was sure to lift her spirits. He called her into the lab anticipating her delight.

"Well, Shego. I think you might get the chance to crush that rotten egg."

"Oh, Dr. D?"

"Yessssssss.", he grinned evilly, "It is almost time to launch the missiles. But it appears we're going to have some intruders soon. It looks like Kim Possible and her lackwits are paying us a visit."

"What?", Shego groused, "How did they find us so quickly?"

"I'm not particularly worried.", Drakken replied confidently, "They can't surprise us this time."

He started laughing, and for once Shego actually smiled. He pointed up to the scanner display in the control room that showed the blinking red dot slowing approaching their location on the map.

"I'll prepare the missiles. You go prepare the welcoming committee for our guests.", he said with a leer.

Shego grinned evilly, "With pleasure, Dr. D!"

She rushed off and started setting the controls on the synthodrones for the attack. Dr. Drakken turned back to his control panel and began shutting down the missile launch sequence. He had no intention of sending them anywhere. Of course, there was no need, now that he had leaked the location of the lair to the outside world. He knew it wouldn't be long before Kim Possible's computer brat would pick it up. He thought back to when they were returning with the stolen missile plans a month earlier and all he was thinking to himself at the time was, "This is only the bait."

* * *

The day after they went to the movies, the Kimmunicator beeped and Wade informed Kim that Drakken had been found. It had been a top priority since about three weeks earlier when, much to her irritation, he and Shego managed to steal the same missile plans she had recovered, taking them only a few days after she had gone to all that trouble to save them in the first place. Wade had gotten on the case, but had trouble locating Drakken's lair until now.

Kim didn't want to go, but she could not just suddenly quit. Too many people were depending on her. The way she figured it, she had to at least settle the Drakken and Shego problem, then she could let GJ and Team Impossible take over.

So she and Ron headed off into danger once more, but this time she made one other important decision. She might be retiring, but that didn't mean Jos couldn't keep going. She might even be able to take over all the operations herself in time. After all, Kim was younger than Jos when she started. Since Jos had mastered the basics of the Kung Fu techniques, Kim had gone ahead and taught her most of the special Team Possible moves she and Ron used. She couldn't see any reason to delay any longer, and she decided to take Jos on this mission. Facing two super villains, especially these two super villains, in their own lair would be the ultimate test to make her a completely capable sidekick alongside Ron. Her cousin had also shown more confidence now and was better at keeping her mind on the work at hand, and Jos was absolutely ecstatic about going. Of course, Kim still kept in mind that she still had that strong independent streak and would tend to go off on her own, trying too hard to prove herself. But to her relief, especially after Cambodia, Ron actually ended up being a balancing factor for Jos and shielded her on the two minor missions they had done in mid October. This seemed to minimize her tendency to take unnecessary risks. Kim thought it was ironic that he would be the one giving her good advice. But also, she felt proud of him in the way he was so protective of her.

Nonetheless, she made Jos wear a Kevlar vest, just in case. Fortunately, Jos was so happy, she didn't even put up a fuss about it. Kim hoped that it would be enough to keep her safe.

They knew about the stolen missile plans that Drakken had. But Wade also found out through his contacts that Drakken was going to threaten to take over the world again by spreading a mind control fog he had developed, dispersing it throughout the atmosphere with the missiles he had constructed. As could be expected, he was the only one with an antidote. That meant he had to be taken down now.

They hitched a ride on a military jet which Wade snagged as transport for them, and once in the target area they bailed out and parachuted down. They scouted the terrain quickly and spotted the lair. As they looked the area over, Kim concentrated hard on the nondescript building in front of them through her binoculars, letting out a slight yawn.

"Get enough sleep, KP?", Ron asked.

She quickly looked over at him, slightly embarrassed he caught her.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a bad dream I had."

"Really?"

"Yeah...", she said, looking the structure over again, "Some weird golden temple or something."

He stared at her a second then looked off in the distance.

"Huh. Funny. Me, too. I wonder what it means."

Catching her attention, she gazed back at him a second, then dismissed it.

"Not important now.", she said, putting the binoculars away, "I found our entry point."

Her reconnaissance located a ventilation shaft in the top of the building and they bounded up to the top and entered through it, landing quietly in an outer corridor. But as soon as they were on their feet, alarms went off and the hallway was filled with more than four dozen synthodrones.

"Ugh! Not again!", Kim groaned to Ron on seeing the automatons, "It's almost as if we were expected! Pretty large welcoming party, don't you think?"

"Yeah K.P. It seems that way to me, too. "

But Jos was trembling with excitement, "Then I say we ought to thank our hosts properly for this shindig! Don't you?"

She charged the first synthodrone and kicked it square in the chest, sending it flying across the floor.

"Jos, no!", yelled Kim, but she could do nothing except go after her cousin and start fighting beside her.

Chaos erupted. The rest of the drones closed in on them and the girls and Ron were soon busy keeping themselves in one piece. The girls made a good duo. Jos executed a strong jump with a boost from Kim and rammed the chest plate of the next nearest sythodrone, breaking it apart and gushing synthogoo out of its joints. The drone fell and deactivated just as Kim soared over its head at the next one in line. Jos reached up and grabbed her arms and swung her around into that drone, the whipping action accelerating Kim into the unit and smashing it apart like the first one. As it splattered against the far wall, both of them landed in perfect three point stances as six more drones rushed them from all sides. This time, Jos boosted Kim up into the air. Kim's legs shot out in a double sidekick on the nearest drone's head as Jos went low and took its legs out with kicks to the knee joints, then escaped underneath as Kim continued sailing over the collapsing drone. They landed as the other drones crashed into the falling one and conveniently took themselves temporarily out of the fight, and one more was damaged enough to deactivate.

They kept executing their techniques and jumps, synchronizing off of each other, and their teamwork methodically destroyed synthodrones at a steady pace. Although pleased with how well she and Jos were integrating their skills under actual combat conditions, Kim had wanted to hold back until she was sure of their numbers. Now it was a little late for that, and she soon saw she didn't like the way the odds were stacking up. She tracked down Ron visually to make sure he was doing okay, and found him running and yelling to Rufus to help him out as a synthodrone swung at him. He ducked and slid underneath its legs just as the next drone came up behind him and crashed into the first one. They both fell, spilling synthogoo all over the floor. But that didn't help much as another synthodrone was right behind the first one. It grabbed him by the leg and picked him up, whipping him around in a circle as he again yelled for the naked mole rat to do something. Rufus jumped out of his pocket and bit down on the arm holding Ron. The drone's arm spewed goo, immediately shriveling, and he slipped out of its grasp, sailing through the air to the opposite wall where he fortunately managed to land on his feet.

"Good save, Rufus!", Kim yelled.

'That was lucky!' she thought, keeping an eye on him as she kicked and decapitated another drone in front of her. She saw another come up and smash the wall where Ron landed seconds earlier, but he had moved again, running off to the side after yelling 'Thanks, buddy!".

Despite their success, the number of drones began to tell on the girls' effectiveness, and eventually they were separated and forced backwards, gradually giving up ground to sheer numbers. Fighting defensively, Jos got backed up against a wall. She was steadily avoiding attacks with good defensive moves, but still was cornered. Kim fought hard to reach her and guard her back.

Dr. Drakken and Shego observed all this from the central lab chamber on the monitors, dark smiles on their faces.

"Good.", said Shego with a malignant chuckle, "Now I can go out and finish the job."

"Not yet, Shego, not yet.", said Drakken oily.

She frowned at him, "What? She's primed, Dr. D! She's set up perfectly! Let me take her out!"

He turned and looked at her with that twisted grin, "But that's not the setup I planned, Shego. Just wait a minute and she'll end up here in the central lab with her young protégé. Then you can 'entertain' them all you want."

"You're going to let them in here? That'll put the whole lair in danger!"

"Don't worry Shego, I"ve activated the laser destructor rays to keep them in line while you take care of them. But they aren't the real target."

"Huh?", said Shego incredulously, "What are you talking about?"

Drakken laughed deeply,"It's the buffoon I intend to destroy, Shego! I'll explain later. I just need you to keep the others busy as of... ...now!"

Quickly, he punched a button on the console as Shego stared at him, dumbfounded.

Jos ducked a swing by a synthodrone and punched it straight into its midsection, ripping a hole in its side and squishing synthogoo out of it, then side kicked it away from her. Another came in and tried a round house kick to her head. She ducked again and leaned against the wall to push off and jump up. Only the wall wasn't there. It had suddenly disappeared and Jos fell into the yawning vacuum with a yelp, straight down a vertical shaft. Three synthrodrones quickly followed her through it.

"Oh my gosh! Jos!", Kim yelled. With a fresh burst of energy, she quickly jump kicked the two drone opponents confronting her just then out of the way. She rushed towards the open wall panel and yelled at Ron, "I've got to go help Jos! You keep providing the distraction out here!"

Then she swan dived through the wall panel opening into the shaft, trying to pick up speed as she flew down into the unknown depths of the lair. Drakken watched his monitor closely and hit the button again as soon as he saw that. The wall panel immediately shut closed, sealing the shaft.

"No worries, K.P! I've got your back!", Ron yelled, even though he was sure she didn't hear him.

He was trying to outrun a synthodrone at the time the wall panel closed.

"About time!", he muttered.

Ron stopped suddenly, surprising the synthodrone behind him with a elbow strike, back fist, and back kick which slammed the drone into the far wall, splattering synthogoo all over it. There was a lull in the action as he looked around. He was now alone with almost all of the synthodrones as only two or three had chased after Jos, and when the girls left the corridor, the drones needed a little time to refocus on Ron as their new target.

As they did, Ron thought about what he was facing.

Before his last visit to Yamanuchi, Ron was only capable of being the distraction. And he still could be, as he had just proven. He would usually do this by running and screaming in panic a lot. Sometimes he would put on a display of fake monkey kung fu moves, which would usually bring opponents down on top of him. That was the intent, to distract. But he was also inventive and sly, always slipping away from trouble just in time. Sometimes he would get captured and have to wait until Kim or Rufus saved him. But usually, he and the mole rat could squeeze out of just about anything by evasion, trickery, or a good bite at just the right time, and every now and then he would get in a good kick or a punch. As it was, what he really did for the most part was to simply run away and avoid the danger, making the enemy screw up and take themselves out of the fight.

But apart from the first time he fought Monkey Fist, then the traitor Fukushima in Japan, and the recent Cambodia adventure, which were the very few times he was able to wield the mystical monkey power out of all the multiple opportunities he had, he never outwardly confronted a large enemy force and took them down. At all other times, this kind of fighting had been strictly Kim's area of expertise, and he could only be, of course, 'the distraction'. It frustrated him that now he could do so much more, and he couldn't even show her.

But this was different. He had never anticipated taking on anything like this, facing all of these enhanced synthodrones, all by himself. The thought began to daunt him as the automatons readjusted their focus on Ron and then moved against him. Rufus popped out of his pocket and climbed to his shoulder, squeaking loudly in concern as he saw there was no escape. One or two of them wouldn't have been too bad.

But more than thirty?

Every advanced technology loaded synthodrone in the corridor charged Ron as he gawked at them wide-eyed, and Rufus squealed out in panic. Dr. Drakken watched on the monitor and laughed gleefully.

"And now with the destruction of the buffoon,", he muttered to himself, "I shall finally defeat Kim Possible!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Intralogue**

The reporter asked, "There had always been questions about exactly how useful Ron, uh Mr. Stoppable, was to your operation. Some questioned his ability to really assist you on the missions."

Kim had closed her eyes, remembering those troubling months, delaying her answer until she had thought it through.

"At one time, that was true.", she said slowly, "One of the biggest problems was that Ron was always getting into a situation that he couldn't get out of. Then I had to save him from that, though sometimes Rufus would do it, too."

"That must have been quite a burden, trying to accomplish the mission and do that at the same time."

"Well, you have to understand that having Ron on the missions really was crucial in other ways, even in spite of that. He has this ability to think outside the box and come up with solutions I hadn't considered. There were a lot of times that ability let me succeed in the mission, although I have to admit..."

She chuckled slightly.

"A lot of times they didn't work, or were even downright silly. Still, he's really been indispensable. I couldn't save the world without him, especially now."

"He has said that you could, if forced to."

"I know. Maybe I can. But deep down, I feel I really do need him with me."

"I see.", said the reporter, "The thing I wonder about is that he wasn't able to actually do any of the fighting, was he? That was strictly your job."

Kim smirked as she answered, "Well, not after that one particular mission. Although I didn't find that out either for another month or so."

The newswoman could see she was skirting the question a bit, not answering directly, so she changed the subject. She knew she could always come back to it.

"Let me go on to something else. As I understand it, it was that mission during October of your senior year was where you realized Mr. Stoppable wasn't being completely forthcoming."

Kim tried to get as comfortable in her hospital bed as she could. She was holding a pillow onto her stomach to try and lessen the spasms when they occurred.

"Uh, yeah.", she said tentatively, " Actually, I had known he was doing that for awhile, and when I figured out he wasn't telling me everything, I began to worry about us as a couple. He hadn't let me in on what happened in Japan, and there was some other stuff he was hiding. All I knew then was he wasn't talking to me, sharing everything like we used to do. I thought maybe the dating thing was not such a good idea after all. Fortunately, it turned out okay once I did find out what was going on."

"When did that happen?"

"Shortly after that mission."

"And was it what you expected?"

"Oh, no! Boy, was I shocked at what I found out!"

"Uh, bad shock or good?"

"Oh, definitely good! I think I would have killed him otherwise... ...Not literally, of course."

Another spasm hit Kim in the hospital bed and she grimaced. The reporter waited it out and let Kim get comfortable again before continuing.

"So what did you find out?"

Kim buried her head in the pillow on her stomach a moment before looking up at the reporter with half-closed eyes, full of remembrance.

"It wasn't so much what he wasn't telling me. It was what I wasn't telling myself."

The reporter frowned, "That sounds ominous."

Kim smiled, saying softly, "Yes, but in a good way. That's when Ron began to save me."


	8. Chapter 8

"Now, Shego!", yelled Drakken as a wall panel opened up next to a metal walkway running overhead about twelve feet up in the air.

"I'm on it, Dr. D!", she replied, immediately jumping up onto the metal flooring of the ramp, her hands lit up and waiting. As she assumed a fighting stance, there was clattering as someone fell screaming out of a chute above her, smacking heavily onto the cold steel with a splat.

Jos found herself face down there staring at the toes of a pair of green and black boots. Looking up, the color drained from her face.

"Well.", said Shego with a relaxed leer, "If it isn't the wannabe. Got any other catchy names for me, kiddo?"

Jos jumped up and assumed a defensive position.

"None I care to repeat in proper company!", she retorted hotly, "I let my moves speak instead!"

"Hah! You're not your cousin, pipsqueak!", Shego fired back with a smile, loosing a green plasma bolt.

Wide-eyed, Jos yelped and jumped out of the way. Shego kept firing off more bolts at her, forcing her to either run completely away, which she found she couldn't do, or to get into close quarters combat where the plasma bolts couldn't be used, but where Shego knew she could take her out, exactly as she planned.

She smiled, knowing the kid was isolated from her team mates. The laser destructor rays that popped out of the ceiling were targeting the girl severely, not so much to hit her but simply to prevent her from escaping by making any spectacular jumps off of the walkway, literally channeling her directly into Shego's reach. Even so, Shego found her extremely quick, defending herself effectively. Surprised by how good she was, Shego had to grudgingly admit she had been taught well. It was somewhat of a shame, though, that it would be wasted. She was still a greenhorn, and between the plasma blasts and the laser rays, the combination made it possible for Shego to finally trap her and get the kid immobilized.

Jos realized she was in way over her head. Gamely, she fought Shego with everything she had learned, but she was clearly overextended and the villainess finally cornered her. She had made good defensive moves against the woman's attacks, then tried a wheel kick which Shego easily ducked. The follow through left her wide open and her opponent stunned her with a right cross, knocking her to her knees. Shego grabbed the struggling girl by the front of her tank top, lifting her up roughly as she lit up her other hand, ready to finish her off.

Scared to death, Jos didn't panic. Even while fighting Shego, she had paid attention to her environment, studying the field of battle just as Kim had taught her. She had watched the automated lasers as she was fighting, noted their regularity and had timed their firing pattern. Facing oblivion, she used that knowledge now. Just as Shego was about to blast her, she pushed off a rail with her feet and wrenched herself hard to the other side of the walkway, shifting her weight in her grasp just enough to pull the villainess off balance and into the line of fire of one of the destructor ray guns. Shego took the blast square on her back. Shocked by the laser strike, she dropped the girl and fell to the steel panels, suddenly jerking into spasms. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to allow Jos to get away. It took Shego several more seconds to recover as she sat up rubbing her head, muttering "What wuz that". But once she got her bearings, she looked around for Jos, seeing she had run down the walkway, dodging the destructor lasers as best as she could. She was about to go after her when Drakken caught her attention.

"Shego!", he said, "On the floor!"

Understanding his intent, she jumped off the walkway to the lab floor and ran in Jos' direction.

Jos' quick thinking saved her, but she figured it would only buy her a couple of minutes at most. She ran as fast as she could down the walkway, trying to find a way to escape, but again she was hampered by the laser destructor rays which had managed to reacquire her in their sights, firing furiously. Drakken watched her intently, adjusting the controls and changing the pattern of fire to maximally impede her, so that Shego could catch her again. Jos was trying to pick her way through the gauntlet of gleaming red beams when the floor of the walkway was blasted out from under her. She fell with a howl to the floor of the chamber to find Shego waiting for her there. She quickly cornered Jos again.

"Got you now, kiddo.", she said with an evil smile.

"Not yet you don't!" yelled Kim as she landed in front of her cousin. She had arrived only moments after Jos did on the walkway, but the villains were so focused on Jos, they hadn't noticed her. Having quickly dispatched the few synthodrones that had gone after Jos through the chute, she reached her cousin before Shego could inflict any injury. Shego glowered at first, then smiled menacingly at Kim as they immediately went after each other. Jos took the opportunity to crawl out of the way. As the two of them slugged it out, Kim stayed in close enough quarters to avoid Shego's plasma blasts, all the while also staying out of the way of the laser destructor rays which Drakken now manipulated in an attempt to nail her cousin. Then Jos saw Drakken at the control panel. Frowning angrily, she jumped up and ran towards her cousin's arch-nemesis, leaping at the last moment and aiming a deadly flying side kick right at the back of his head. She was stunned when she suddenly hit an invisible force field just short of her target, red sparks flying from where her feet had struck it, before falling to the floor in a clump. Drakken turned and sneered at her.

"Dolt!", he spat at her with a sneer, "My energy wall is more than enough protection from you!"

He laughed as he punched two more controls and Jos squeaked, jumping out of the way and running again, laser destructors tracking her down once more. In the meantime, Shego had managed to distance herself from Kim and was similarly trying to disintegrate her with multiple plasma blasts. Kim kept making good gymnastic leaps to avoid the strikes, trying to find a way to jump back in and directly engage Shego, but she was making it almost impossible until unexpected help arrived from Jos. The girl could still time the lasers, and as she ran around and avoided the lasers chasing her down, she ran a zig zag pattern that took her back towards and behind Shego. Shego's attention was completely on Kim when she was surprised by Jos ramming her in the back with a solid double side kick. She reacted quickly and turned, firing off a plasma blast that hit Jos at close quarters. Screaming, the girl was thrown back against the far wall and slammed into it hard, falling unconscious in a heap to the floor.

"Jos!", yelled Kim. With Shego's pattern of plasma blasts disrupted, Kim immediately moved in, again directly attacking Shego at close quarters. Shego backed up in surprise at the sudden ferocity her arch-foe unleashed. Drakken watched this carefully, but had no real concerns, trusting his sidekick would now be able to defeat his arch nemesis now that her subordinate was out of the way. Laughing, he turned his attention to the monitors.

"Now that Shego has this under control, let us see to the buffoon.", he sneered to himself. Calmly hitting the control buttons, the monitor scene shifted back to the corridor in the upper level of the lair where his foes first entered. He watched the screen and saw the synthodrones were about to overrun the buffoon.

His grin widened very evilly as he muttered, "Oh, this is going to be soooo good!"

Back in the corridor, Ron yelled as he jumped up and out of the way of the attacking synthodrones. Executing a double somersault, he landed on the shoulders of two drones about five rows back and then jumped further onto a clearing just beyond the main mass of them. He surprised two more synthrodrones already there. Without hesitation he struck out with a back kick - side kick combination, destroying them both. The two drones immediately shrank and deactivated. Other synthodrones mindlessly followed, attacking aggressively, and without a thought he reacted. The first went down to a well placed front kick that decapitated it, followed by a leap into the air with a turning back kick that crushed the chest of the one trying to come from behind. He landed, ducked the punch by the next one and grabbed its arm as it flew by, throwing it against the one coming at him from the other direction. A side arm block derailed the kick of the fifth attacking drone and he grabbed the leg and twisted it, throwing the drone on the floor and tripping up two more coming in behind it. Another two attacked from the other direction and he leaped again, twisting with a flying wheel kick that slashed across and took both of their heads off in one move.

He hit the ground running and immediately renewed his attacks before he even realized he had done it. It was like he was disembodied, watching himself from a short distance away, completely and acutely aware of every synthodrone in the room, where each one was, and how it was trying to approach him. Time almost stood still. A myriad number of details of movement from each enemy combatant melded into his mind and he saw clearly how to move in concert with them. It truly was a ballet of sorts, a harmony of movement which completely belied the extreme violence of the individual actions. He had never experienced it like this before. Was this how it was for Kim? It seemed to last for hours. In reality it only lasted three minutes. The ballet was over when he realized there were no more threats to which he had to respond. He stood there, breathing steadily and deep, his eyes wide and observant of all, still in guard stance, cautiously awaiting the next opponents to come. But there were none. He slowly stood up and relaxed, looking around at the more than thirty destroyed wrecks of green goo and synthetic plastics lying motionless in the corridor. Rufus perched on his shoulder and gaped in disbelief. Ron gazed quietly at the flood of green slop all over the floor.

Now he understood what his masters had meant about combat.

'Thank you, Sensei! And Nana!' he thought, and without further reflection he and Rufus went to look for the girls.

Motionless, Drakken had watched him, almost catatonic with shock, his jaw dropped wide open.

He shook his head and said to himself, "What has he been up to? This is a development I did not expect!"

He continued to watch the empty corridor for awhile, having already mentally and physically recorded the sidekick's new abilities which he had just witnessed, rubbing his chin as he mused over his options.

"Well, if I am to destroy him, I must find out exactly how much he can do now.", he concluded, "I will have to test his skills more severely. Synthodrones will not do. Real henchmen will be needed. This calls for some special assistance, and much as I hate to admit it, their henchmen are better suited for this task. Yesssssss. The alliance will have to be made again."

He clicked off the screen and turned his attention back to the fight down in the central lab.

Shego and Kim had continued to slug it out toe to toe, ending up close to where Drakken stood by the control panel. His sidekick struck out with one plasma enveloped hand and was blocked. Kim let go with a left cross that took Shego in the right jaw. Unexpectedly, Shego screamed in pain, holding her head in her hands. Kim hesitated slightly, surprised by this, giving Shego time as she roared in sheer anger and raised both hands, now flaring hugely with green energy. Kim was quick enough to catch both of her wrists and hold them as Shego screamed insanely at her. There was this intense rage in her eyes that surprised Kim, something she hadn't ever seen before.

Abruptly, Shego's green plasma burst out of her body, enveloping her in a cocoon of emerald fire that exploded like a bombshell. The sound almost deafened Kim as she was thrown back by a good one hundred and fifty feet, close to where Jos lay. By this time, Ron had already found his way there, helping the girl up. She looked shaken, but fortunately was okay. Kim got back up and looked for Shego, and found her nemesis laying up against the control panel, disoriented and groggy. Somehow, the force field had been short circuited by the blast of her plasma energy and smoke and sparks were coming out of the control console. Drakken had been thrown to the floor onto his back, stunned at the destruction of his protective barrier defense. Worried about the damage, he got up quickly and looked at the console, then blanched as much as his blue skin would let him.

"Shego!", he yelled, "To the air car! Now!"

Hastily he went over and helped her up. She was still stuporous and stumbling, moaning as he pulled and cajoled her as urgently as he could towards an exit on the far left side of the chamber. Kim was very tempted to go after them, but not with Jos in her present shape.

The Kimmunicator beeped. Kim whipped it out.

"Kim!" yelled Wade, "Get out of there! I'm reading overloads on all systems! It's going to blow!"

"Which way?", she asked.

"Take the exit to your right! It's the shortest route outside!"

She yelled at Ron and Jos, "The lair's about to blow! Let's go!"

They immediately ran for safety, Ron helping Jos along at first, but she was soon able to run on her own. They made it halfway down the corridor when the first explosions took out the central control chamber. By the time they made it outside, the entire complex was already beginning to collapse, multiple explosions racking it. The smoke started to pour from it, obscuring the sky, but Kim could see Drakken's air car flying off in the distance, and she stared at the retreating craft with a grimace on her face and frustration in her eyes. Jos was standing beside her, panting hard, holding her ribs from the beating she had taken. A cut above her right eyebrow was bleeding, but fortunately it was shallow and already starting to congeal. Kim looked at her painfully and gathered her to her arms, hugging her tight, relieved she was all right.

* * *

But back home, Kim was again exasperated with her younger cousin. She was trying very hard to hold her temper, but eventually lost the battle...

"Jos!", Kim exploded,"How many times have I told you not to start a fight like that without sizing the situation up first? We have procedure worked out to make things as safe as we can make it! You have to follow orders! You just can't run off hare-brained like that! If you get hurt, I could never face your father!"

"Wha─?", riposted Jos in surprise, "Are you kidding? Didn't you see what I did down there?"

"Yes!", snapped Kim, "You almost got yourself killed!"

'Now wait just a dad-burn min─!"

"No! You think about it! The only reason you're alive after that blast Shego nailed you with is because I made you wear that protective vest!"

""It wasn't that bad!"

"Oh, yes it was!"

Jos remained motionless in front of her, stone faced. But inside, she was outraged. 'But I got through it okay! Why this?', she thought, 'What is the prob?'.

After all, this was the first time she had really, really fought the bad guys. She had really made a difference! She had contributed to the team in a meaningful way. Sure, there were times she made some mistakes, including this time, but so what? The blast wasn't that bad! She would have survived! She kicked butt this time! Before, out of her idolization for Kim and Ron, Jos had been sorry when she had made a mistake, and always promised she would do better, had kept her demeanor as calm as she could. But now, this time she was pushed past the point of control. It was like she got no credit at all for anything! And this time she didn't let it go.

"Orders! Orders!", she yelled at a surprised Kim, "That's all you want me to do is to follow orders! How do you expect me to contribute to the team if you don't let me get out there and clobber the bad guys? Didn't you see what I did out there? You have been keeping me back from doing anything to help! It's like you want to hog all the glory to yourself! Is that it? Am I too much of a threat to you?"

Her older cousin blanched in shock for a second before a hard look came over her face and she gave as good as she got.

"The only thing, young lady, that you are is a threat to yourself!" she riposted harshly, "And if you don't follow orders as I give them, I won't risk taking you out on missions! Is that clear?"

Jos glared back angrily, unable to answer, too incensed to find the words. Instead, she turned on her heels, growled in frustration, and stomped off to her bedroom.

Kim and Ron watched her go off. She folded her arms, staring down at the ground and shaking her head. When she looked back up, her face was worried and sad.

"Was I... ...harshing too much?"

"Normally, if it was me, yeah, I'd say totally.", he said with a smirk.

She glared at him and yelled, "Hey! If I wanted jokes..."

She gasped suddenly, abruptly stopping herself. She held her hands up out towards her BF.

"I'm sorry, Ron, ", she whispered, "I'm sorry. I was out of line again. I'm sorry..."

She turned away from him, ashamed to look him in the eyes. Ron didn't even react or get mad. He calmly waited until she finished.

"KP.", he said, "It's okay. I know how stressed you are."

"I know. I've...", she said, "I'm just not myself right now."

Ron smiled and nodded, "Did you want me to tell you what I think?"

She turned around and gazed at him with soft eyes, thankful he wasn't sniping back at her. She realized she deserved it big time.

"Yeah, "she answered, nodding.

"You may be coming on a little strong about all this. I'll go talk to her again. As the team boss, you're like a surrogate parent. I can be more of an equal, you know."

"Yeah, maybe.", she replied grumpily, "But with kids like that, I'll stay childless."

"Hey,", he said, chuckling, "Be careful what you wish for. But I know what you mean. I'll talk to her. I think I can get her to see it your way."

That relieved her. She relaxed and said, "Okay, Ron. Thanks. I gotta say... ...you've been real good at that lately."

"Buya!" he said, grinning hugely.

"Yeah...", she said gloomily, studying the floor

Ron put a hand on her shoulder, "What is it, K.P.?"

She just kept looking down, "I just can't seem to get through to her."

Ron smiled, "Sure you are! Believe me. She has really made progress!"

"Yeah, well maybe I should let her do the missions."

Ron looked at her strangely.

"Is that what you want?"

Kim looked up at her BF, smiling, "Might not be such a bad idea... ...in time."

"Maybe.", he replied, "But it'll be awhile, right? Why?"

Kim just shook her head, "Oh, don't listen to me. I guess I just need a break from all this."

"I hear you, Kim.", Ron said pensively, "Well, l'll go find her."

She added, "Let me know how it goes, okay? By the way, what happened with those other synthodrones? Did you have much trouble getting away?"

"Oh, Rufus and I managed to get out of there before we ran into any problems."

"Gosh, there were a lot of them. What'd you do?"

"Oh, you know, Kim. I simply took the fight to where it belonged."

"Hmmm. You ran like your hair was on fire and lost them?"

"Uh, something like that."

She giggled softly, trying to be supportive now, "Hey, it's okay. Gotta love those mad escape skills of yours. Way to go. I'm glad you gave them the slip."

Ron looked at her with his usual smugness and said, "No big. Kim. That's what I do."

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek in appreciation, then left. But as Kim walked away, his smile disappeared, and he sighed heavily with the frustration he felt, having to continue to play this charade especially after what he had just achieved. And what was she just saying about letting Jos do the missions? That worried him. But he put that out of his mind as he had something to do. He went to Jos's room and saw her lying on her bed, mindlessly playing some video game she normally beat all the time. Only she was too upset to concentrate this time, and it was destroying her virtual character easily, not that she really cared just then.

"Are you okay, Jos?", he asked, sitting down beside her.

"I'll be okay when I get a better 'boss' who'll let me do what I can do!", she muttered hotly.

"Oh, come on. You know she's trying to protect you."

"I don't need no protectin'!", she shot back, "I just had to show her I can do anything, too! And I did!"

Frustrated with the video game she wasn't beating as usual, she threw down the remote with an annoyed manner and sat up, sitting on the edge of the bed with a hang-dog look on her face.

Ron scooted over next to her and took the girl under his arm, "Look, Jos. I know she can be a little strict at times. She's definitely tough, but you know she's fair. She really is doing this for your own good."

Jos looked up with that long face, finally looking contrite.

"I know.', she muttered remorsefully, "I know. It's just... ...it's a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap like that. But you know I did real good down there! At least I think so. But I know I screwed up a little bit at first, too."

"You didn't screw up that bad, Jos. And yes, you performed brilliantly, as far as I'm concerned. But Kim was also right. The best move at that point was probably to try and avoid the synthodrones until Kim could get a handle on how to take them out. You paid for it with that hit you took. You're right. It wasn't lethal, but..."

"Yeah...", she finished, "It could have happened. I see that now. I know because of how I ended up. Man, that Shego is really way bad!"

He replied, "Hey, believe me. I know. I've have soooo screwed up on missions too, let the bad guys get away, got ourselves captured. If there was anything that could go wrong, I managed to do it. But I was always there for Kim, and she was always there for me, and together we always were able to make it out and get the job done. It may have taken a long time to get where I am now, but Kim always supported me. She'll do the same for you."

"You mean you're not screwing up as much any more?", she asked with piqued interest.

"Uh, well, yeah. Not as much, I would say", he said, slightly embarrassed, "But the important thing I'm trying to tell you is that Kim was always patient and supportive. Sure, she would lecture me about doing this right or to stop doing something that was dumb, not that I was being dumb... ...Uh, anyway, the point is that she was doing it to help me, and not to be mean. It's the same with you, Jos. You've got to remember she always has your best interests at heart. Listen to her. She will teach you a lot if you let her. And be patient, because your time will come."

Jos smiled, but then frowned again, "She probably hates me right now."

"No way, Jos.", Ron said with a chuckle, "Believe me, she loves her little cousin as much as her little brothers."

She eyed him with bemusement...

"Hmmmph! As much as she yells at them, that's kind of hard to see.", she muttered with a pout, "But I guess it's true. Besides, they're boys. You gotta expect them to be immature. Just look at you!"

"Err.", Ron replied, looking at her strangely, "Yeah, right, whatever."

"Uh, I guess I should apologize, shouldn't I?"

"Yeah. That would be the right thing to do. Apology accep..."

"She'll forgive me?"

"Huh? Oh... ...of course, she will."

Jos's face lit up and she gave Ron a big hug, "Thanks, Ron! You really rock!"

She ran off to find Kim. Ron could only sigh as he watched her go.

Later, Kim found him and said, "Thanks for talking to Jos. Her promise to do better was even more sincere than usual this time."

Ron grinned a 'you're welcome' at her, as he took up her hands, gazing into her eyes.

"I'm really thankful I made her wear that vest, though. It saved her life."

Ron nodded thoughtfully at her, before answering, "Yeah, it sure helped. But you should know I saw that blast hit her. I had just made it down there in time to see it. You should know that Jos was right. It stung a lot, but it wasn't lethal."

Kim frowned, "But it could have been, Ron. It looked that bad to me."

"I understand, Kim. I think both of you were right."

Kim looked deep in his eyes, and relaxed her frown seeing his point.

"Well,", she said, "I did apologize for harshing too much."

Ron grinned again, "It's okay. Kim. You're just doing your job. And you know I'll always help."

"I know.", she said contentedly.

He grinned mischievously.

"And! As you can see, it only takes a little of the old Stoppable charm to always hit it off with the ladies."

Kim smirked back.

"Yeah, right! 'Ladies man'!", she said jokingly.

But Kim could see that Ron really was joking, not trying to ham it up.

'Was he showing maturity?', she thought, 'If so, it really does rock on him.'

She stepped up to him and gave him a kiss in appreciation, saying, "Thanks, anyway."

Ron kept grinning and said, "See? What did I tell you?"

Kim threw a nearby pillow at him, laughing.

* * *

Ron said he had to head home. So he kissed her good night and she watched him walk off. It had been a good night, actually. They stopped the bad guys and saved the world again, even if Shego and Drakken did get away, and she was really pleased with Ron's performance on the mission too, marveling again at how much he had changed with this mission. Now if he could just make it permanent! He was so loud and bombastic, sometimes irritating, definitely entertaining, and always, always there for her. But since he became her boyfriend, there had been a definite change, and she desperately hoped it was all for the better. But still, she couldn't see him being able to change enough, to truly become the guy who could excite her, who she could actually see as a hero, who could be as good as she was. Someone who could make her heart truly skip beats. She thought back again to Bueno Nacho headquarters. That kept bothering her.

'Why? Why can't I stop thinking about that?', she thought.

_"You really think there's a guy out there for me?"_

_"Out there.",_ he replied _, "In here."_

_"Oh! Really?"_

She remembered being so heartbroken then, her emotional state so destroyed. Down in the basement, she had just looked at him in surprise when he said he wanted to be the 'guy' for her, and the only thing she could think at the time was how 'real' he looked, as opposed to the 'fake' Eric. She didn't know what clicked in her mind just then, but her heart told her there was something worth exploring here. More importantly, her heart told her how she badly needed someone to be there for her. And he was... ...real. Was that all it took?

Life interfered. She couldn't give more thought to it after Rufus freed them and they still had work to do. She suppressed it all and let her anger take over, using that anger to defeat Drakken and Shego. To Ron and everyone else, she looked completely in control, even joking at times. But inside, she was little better than a micromanaged wreck. Even at the end, when Eric/901 had caught the electromagnetic scrambler dart, then was destroyed by Rufus, causing the dart to activate, she could not help but feel a pang of regret for the crushed dreams and hopes she had harbored, seeing her aspirations all evaporate, never to return. She remembered how she really took it out on Shego at the end, kicking her into submission, ramming her into the electro-magnetic tower that controlled the diablos, wrecking and collapsing it down into rubble on top of her. It gave her such a feeling of, what? Was it revenge? She felt so vindicated just staring at her fallen foe, so righteous. Or did she just nail Shego harder than usually because of her rage? She wasn't sure.

After they had put Drakken and Shego in the police van, she had looked at Ron again. Somehow, he looked so ennobled, again so real. And for the first time, his "child-like wonder" wasn't important. His friendship and loyalty were. The high of accomplishing the mission successfully was starting to wear off and the heartbreak was roiling inside her. She remained firm in not showing it. Her heart spoke to her again, pleading its need, that she needed someone to be there for her. Something inside her kept saying he was it.

So she said to him, "You know, Ron, we'd better hurry."

Even after arriving back at the prom, she had doubts. After all, this was Ron. Was she going to risk their friendship on this gamble? She began to wonder what ever made her start this. Even he was hesitant at first, before Rufus pushed them together. Then he held his hand out and she put hers in his and they started dancing. He relaxed and led her around the gym floor, and she surprisingly found herself feeling comfortable with it. They had always danced with each other, so they easily knew what their steps would be, but this time it was different. As they traversed the gym floor, it took her back earlier in the evening when the music was much more energetic, more upbeat and frenetic. She recalled how it had been so exciting, dancing with Eric/901. Their moves were so hot! She had so enjoyed the neat exhibition of dancing talent they had both put on, especially seeing how tweaked Bonnie was about it. Everyone was crowding around and clapping in time as they whirled around the floorboards. But as she had thought of that, she kept seeing Eric, and the pain of the synthodrone's betrayal threatened to overtake her again. Ron had watched her as the thoughts raced through her mind. He could see it in her eyes.

"It's okay, Kim.", he said, "You know I would never hurt you that way."

She stared at him, astounded he had read her so thoroughly, and she found comfort in his words. But that was Ron, her BFF, now her BFBF. He always could read her pretty good.

She released his hand and put her arms around his neck, slow dancing with her head on his shoulder. She reveled in his promise of protection, holding onto him, knowing that if anyone could keep that promise, he was the one who could do it. When she looked back up at him, he smiled at her in that lopsided way of his, seeing in his eyes that he was so glad that she felt better. That gesture, freely given, moved her deeply. She touched her forehead to his, their eyes connecting in a way they never quite had before, and then she had the urge.

She kissed him.

'Could it still be?', she thought again as he walked out the door. The taste of that kiss was still in her mind, on her lips, just like the one she had just given him. For five months, she had looked forward to exploring a new side of their relationship, but something was in her way. And that something was...

...her. She was getting in the way.

She had to go slow trying to figure it out, and felt like she was in the middle of a minefield. She didn't know which way to step, and if she stepped wrong... She had to find a way to resolve her own problems, to figure out if she could ever feel like that again, like she did with 'Eric', or if not, could she just love Ron as a friend as she always had, and be content with that. Ron had changed for the better in some ways, true. But something else was different ever since he came back from Japan, something not right. She knew he wasn't telling her something important, again, and it worried her. What was he hiding? She thought he was just being too 'Ronnish' again, childishness and all, and that was preventing him from confiding in her like he used to do. She wondered for the millionth time what it was about the male brain that drove it into a such a persistent cycle of immaturity.

But then, was he the problem, or was it really her? She just didn't know anymore.

"Help me find out, Ron.", she whispered softly to herself as she watched the door close, "Help me."

* * *

It was after this mission that Kim decided she couldn't wait any more about Jos' sitch. She had to tell Uncle Slim. Contacting him through the Kimmunicator, she broke the news to him as gently as she could, and as she feared, he was a little upset with her.

"Now, I expected better of you, young lady!", he said with a jaundiced scowl, "I figured she would eventually go on one of those missions, but you should have told me before you took my daughter out in that posse of yours!"

"I know, Uncle Slim! I know!", said Kim contritely, "But Jos sneaked onto the plane to Russia! It wasn't my idea! I would have sent her straight back, but I couldn't! And in the end she did so well. She really, really wants to do this. And now, I just can't say no. You know I would never, ever let anything happen to her!"

Uncle Slim stood unmoving in the view screen, staring at her, his mouth fiddling with the toothpick he was holding in his teeth. He tipped his hat up on his brow and took the toothpick out of his mouth.

"Kim, you're my favorite niece.", he replied somberly.

"I'm your only niece, Uncle Slim.", Kim said with a smile.

"That's beside the point.", Uncle Slim chided, "And you can sure be a little hard headed at times yourself, you know. But if anyone is really hard headed, it's Jos. So you don't have to explain. She's always been itching to do this world-saving thing like you worse than a goathead burr under a saddle blanket itches a horse. That's one of the reasons I went ahead and let her transfer over to Middleton. I figured if she didn't get it out of her system, at least she would get the chance to follow her dreams...

He gave her a lazy smile, showing he was all right with things as they were, and Kim relaxed.

"All I ask is that you keep her as safe as you can, and teach her everything you know."

Relieved, Kim said, "That's a promise, Uncle Slim! You can count on me!"

"I know I can. That's why I let her go your way.

"I still have to tell Mom and Dad."

"Don't worry about that.", replied her uncle, "I'll take care of it. It'll be easier for them to agree if I say it's okay."

"Thanks, Uncle Slim! I owe you one!"

"Just don't make it so long between visits out here in Montana, y'hear?"

"I won't! I promise!"

* * *

Halloween came, and it seemed to Kim to have arrived faster than expected. The school semester was going by fast. This year, Ron and Kim would attend the Scare for Care Haunted House at the hospital for Kim's Mom, which was quickly becoming an annual tradition now that they were too grown up to go do the old "T or T". Of course this was the first year for him to finally give up the ghost on that project, which surprised everyone, especially Kim. But she definitely counted that as a good sign. As they were driving towards the hospital, the Kimmunicator beeped, but when she pulled it out, there was nothing activated. Perplexed she was about to call Wade back when she heard Ron say, "Hello?"

She looked over and saw him talking into a cell phone.

He glanced back over and said, "Oh, yeah, I got the same ring tone for the phone. Got it from my Kimmunicator."

"And you can tell the difference?"

"Sure! Sounds different on the phone."

She frowned and put her Kimmunicator away, concentrating on her driving again as he talked on his cell.

"Uh-huh, yeah. Well, that could affect the delivery schedule. No, I already arranged for that. Yeah, right, we gotta keep the bean to cheese ratio constant. Okay, sounds good. I'll talk to you later."

He hung up. Kim kept driving for a few moments before looking back at him.

"When did you get a cell phone?"

"Oh, my parents gave it to me. I finally convinced Dad it wasn't a fad."

"Really?", she said.

"Well, he still thinks that about cable you know."

"So?"

"It was easier to convince him this time."

"How?"

"Mom bought him one for his birthday. He found it pretty convenient."

'Duh!', she thought, looking at him drolly.

"Riiiight..."

But then Kim went back to how Ron was doing and thought, 'Well, he has sort of gotten more responsible, lately.' She recalled about how he was doing much better this year in school. Even Monique had commented on it.

She asked, "What was that 'bean-cheese' comment about? Bueno Nacho thing, right?"

"Oh, yeah. I've been meaning to tell you. I'm working back at Bueno Nacho again."

Kim brightened up, "Wow! That's great, Ron!"

"Yeah, my dad said I needed to learn more about business. And he said that I had done really good there before and I should go back."

"Well, I think's it's spanking you got a job! Did you get the assistant manager's position back?"

"Actually, no. I'm there in a sort of, uh, advisory position."

"Advisory position?", she said, confused, "What's that mean?"

"Oh, well, you know. Since I came up with the naco, they just needed an idea man like me to help them out. And with the naco royalties and all..."

The car screeched to a halt.

She angrily looked over at him, "Okay Ron! Spill! You just said the magic word to officially creep me out!"

"Uh, naco?"

"No, royalties!"

"Oh! That!", Ron said with trepidation, "No! Look, Kim you don't have to worry about that! I'm not getting hardly anything from the naco anymore! There are still some royalties coming in, but I'm not getting any of the money from it. It's all going into a, uh, restaurant venture that my dad is helping me put together. You know how I like to cook, and I think some of the recipes I've learned from your grandmother and that I've come up with will be real big hits. That's one of the things I'm also advising Bueno Nacho on."

"Uh-huh." she said suspiciously, "Okay. So where is this restaurant of yours?"

Oh, well. It's not exactly ready for ..."

"It hasn't opened yet?"

"Well, yeah, it is..."

Something snapped inside Kim. He wasn't being straight with her again! And she'd had it with his subterfuge! She put the car in park and turned off the ignition, then faced him directly.

Exasperated, she demanded, "What is it, Ron? What aren't you telling me?"

He gazed at her with that perplexed look of his, then sighed, realizing he wasn't going to be able to avoid the question any longer. He looked at her a moment gathering his thoughts before answering.

"Kim, I really want to tell you all about this.", he said cautiously, "I really do. But I need to wait a while longer until it fully develops. When it's all ready, I promise you I'll tell you all about it."

"And when is that going to be, Ron?", she replied irritably, "I still don't know what happened in Japan, and you haven't been square with me on that either!"

"Japan?", replied Ron, starting to sweat, "What about Japan?"

'How'd she figure that out?', he wondered.

Her face anguished, she pleaded, "Come on, Ron! What happened in Japan? I know something changed you there. Look, you've been really good the last five months. I think you really have matured a lot. But! But! You're becoming distant!"

'Distant?', he thought, 'That's what she's doing to me, isn't it?'

"How am I being that, Kim?", he asked, "I'm not trying to hide──"

'Yes, you are!", she argued, "I've seen it ever since Japan!"

He stared blankly, not knowing what to say. 'Boy, she can read me like a book sometimes!', he thought. After a long pause, he spoke again.

"Kim, I need to ask you to do something for me."

"What?"

"I'm really not trying to be distant. Please, I need you to trust me on this. I just can't tell you anything more right now. You know I would never willingly hide things from you, but this is something I have to do. I promise you I will tell you everything in time. What I can tell you now is the royalties are so not a problem."

She stared silently at him, her forehead wrinkled in confused worry, not knowing what to make of this.

"Well, you certainly haven't gone whack with the bling and the cash like the last time you had it, so I guess that isn't a problem, so far.", she said very softly, "But this bothers me so much, Ron. You know I tell you everything. You used to tell me everything, too."

He answered her as seriously as he could, "Kim, you are my best friend. That's not going to change. I trust you more than anybody."

"We're also dating!", she riposted angrily, "We're boyfriend and girlfriend. Is that going to change?"

He was taken aback by that, "No way, Kim! Not one single bit!"

She was close to crying, and he was still clueless as to what had sparked all this.

"Kim, what do you want me to say that will make you stop worrying?"

She was about to retort, "Whatever it is you're not telling me!', but thought better of it.

After a moment, she said haltingly, "Ron, tell me. Tell me why you're not being square with me. Is it because you're having any regrets about taking this next step in our relationship?"

"What? No! I just can't say anything now──"

"Why?", she cried, "So you won't confide in me now? The one person you should confide in first before anyone else?

"No. Kim! It's not that! It's..."

"Then what's making you do this? Why don't you trust me enough to tell me?..."

Kim's face changed suddenly, her face white with apprehension, "That's it! isn't it? You don't trust me, do you?"

"No!", Ron denied vehemently, "That's not it at all! And you should know better than that! Jeez, Kim! I trust you with my life every time we go on a mission! How can you say I don't trust you? It's bad enough I'm just the distraction! That's all you let me do! So maybe you're the one with trust issues! Maybe you're the one who doesn't trust me, who doesn't think I can cut it any more!"

Kim stared at Ron in shock, "Ron! I would never do that! You're my best friend, my partner! I wouldn't have anyone else beside me in the field, period!"

"So what is going on?", he cried out, "You've never worried about my capabilities in the field before! You always saved the world and everyone in it, including me, without batting an eye! Now all of a sudden you've been harshing on me and Jos just since I became your BF! You're fretting, worried! What is so different that you're no longer satisfied with my actions in the field? Why are you worried about that now?"

Kim was dumbstruck and couldn't speak for several seconds, visibly shaking. So was Ron, scared to death that taking this chance with her could backfire in so many ways that could destroy them. Gathering her wits again, she became as calm as she could before she responded.

"That's not it, Ron. We've always been tight as a team, always, not only just up to the point you became my boyfriend, always. I just... ...Things are a little tougher these days."

"In what way, Kim?", he said softly, "Please, I want to help, if I can."

Kim looked at him with baleful eyes, "I'm sorry, Ron. I wasn't trying to... ...to harsh again. It's just that I thought we could tell each other everything, just like we used to. And I just want to make sure both you and Jos are safe."

"So trust me to be able to take care of myself, then. Don't you think I can?"

Regret in her voice, Kim said, "Ron, you know what you can do in the field. I'm not trying to put you down, but you know your limits. I can make up for the rest."

Ron looked at her, a little disgusted, "Yeah, I'm limited. Ron Stoppable, the guy who can't do anything. Is that how you really look at me?"

"No, Ron! I don't! Please, you are my BFF, always! You give to the team more than you know!"

"Then how can you respect me as a BF──"

Ron stopped. He was taking this too far. He knew. He could sense he would drive her away if he pushed her any further.

But Kim took his silence as threatening.

"Ron, no. You are my BF. I wouldn't lead you on about that. I promise. I wouldn't."

His eyes narrowed.

"That's not what I was thinking. Why did you say that, then?"

"What? No. I didn't mean to say that. You can't think I don't care for you. That I ──"

Kim froze, the look on her face giving away the lie. 'Why did I say that?', she thought, 'I didn't mean to.'

Ron's face suddenly registered shock as he very softly said, "Are you leading me on?"

Kim's face went white.

"No! No!", she said emphatically, "I'm so not doing that! I was worried that, uhhh... ...I promise you! I do not think..."

The image of Avatar-Kim loomed into her consciousness, grinning luridly with those red eyes, laughing with derision in its voice. She shook her head violently, managing to throw the image out of her head. Looking at Ron and seeing the shock in his face, Kim realized she might have pushed this sitch too far. This was not the way she wanted to have this conversation.

She regained her composure, then said slowly, "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that. it was wrong. It's just... ...It's just..."

She was poised on the edge. Ron could see it... ...just maybe...

He watched her closely and replied, "Something has scared you into thinking you might mean that, hasn't it?"

Terror appeared in her eyes, "Ron, no."

His next words shocked her.

"It's Eric."

She almost choked, gaping at him, startled, "How did you──? When──?"

True, it was Nana who gave him the final insight, but as he thought about it, he realized he always knew, at least instinctively, just how bad Eric had hurt her.

"I remember how you looked at the prom.", he said evenly, "You hid it really well, but your eyes couldn't. And I remember every time I saw you look at him before he... ...before it betrayed you. And I really remember how you looked at Eric when I introduced it to you in the cafeteria. I never saw you look at anybody like that before, not even Josh Mankey."

She looked down and away, trying to avoid the conviction in his eyes.

"No, Ron, it's not true, that wasn't it at all..."

"Yes it was."

Kim couldn't deny him. Her eyes betrayed more fear now than Ron had ever seen there before. He had never seen her so scared.

"Kim, I know.", he said very softly, "You really loved him. You really did."

She shook like a leaf, stuttering, "I can't! I can't talk about this!"

The car seat was a single unit that extended the width of the vehicle. He scooted over and took her by the shoulders, gently making her face him.

"Look at me, Kim."

"I can't!"

"Look at me. Not at your boyfriend. Look at me, your best friend! Talk to me!"

She stared at him, paralyzed, tears coming down her cheeks, and she couldn't speak. Her breathing became erratic trying to hold the emotions in, and then she couldn't do it anymore. She broke down crying, letting it all out and saying "I'm sorry!", over and over as he pulled her in and held her in his arms. It was like every tension, every bad feeling, every bad piece of luck that ever plagued her flooded out of her body with each sob and tear she shed, stroked away with every caress he gave her. Anything and everything that had inflicted her with doubt, with pain, with indecision, with hate, was expelled in that communion of friendship they shared, an exorcism of all that was bad which he gladly and freely gave the one person who meant more to him than anything. She slowly cried herself out, softly sobbing and holding him so close, freely taking all the love his friendship gave her without any reservation.

"I was so stupid, Ron.", she said quietly, in between sobs.

"No, you weren't.", he gently rebuffed.

"Yes, I was!", she said more firmly, "How could I have fallen for a machine? Especially when I thought he was so, so perfect."

"No, Kim.", Ron said, " Drakken just took advantage of you, that's all. It's exactly like I said back then. He played you, but good. You weren't stupid. You aren't a dummy. There's nothing wrong with you. What you are is the greatest friend a guy could wish for who gave her heart willingly to someone whom she thought was worth giving it. That's not stupidity, Kim. That's trust. That's... ...love."

She choked back a small sob, "But I should have seen it, Ron! Kim Possible should have seen it!"

"Maybe Kim Possible the hero who can do anything should have", he replied, "But Kim Possible, the girl in love with Eric, who was woman enough to trust him? There was nothing wrong with that, Kim. The wrong was in Eric, and because he wasn't real, the wrong was really in Drakken."

"I don't know how, Ron.", she sobbed softly, "I can't. I can't..."

And her face scrunched up again in pain, the tears coming down.

Ron grabbed hold of her arms and looked her in the eyes.

"Yes, you can, Kim. You can. You are still Kim Possible. You still can do anything. Anything."

In her mind, Kim was thinking, 'you're so wrong, Ron. I wish it weren't so, but you are.'

"Nobody can do it like you.", he went on, "But you have to understand that you didn't make a mistake with 'Eric'. You did the right thing."

She looked at him, confused, her eyes trying to blink away the tears.

"Wha―? I... ...I don't understand, Ron. How could falling in love with a synthodrone not be such a colossal mistake?"

"Kim.", he said solemnly, "I've been doing some studying of my heritage lately, you know. Bible, Talmud and all that. There's a lot of good stuff there, and I've learned something I think you need to know. You see, I can accept you fell in love with Eric. You fell in love with what you thought was a living breathing person. What you need to realize is that it doesn't matter that he wasn't real."

"Huh?", she whispered in amazement.

Ron smiled and went on.

"The important thing to realize is that love, real love isn't based on emotion or passion. Sure, emotion and passion are a part of it. But it's really based on character, true character. I don't mean Eric's. I mean yours. And Kim, there is no one I know who has more character in her heart and soul than my best friend. The very fact that you gave your heart the way you did only proves it, because giving your heart that way is probably the scariest thing anybody can do.

"So you see. You didn't make a mistake. You made the correct choice. It was just after you found out what Eric really was that you had to deal with it. That's life, and it's okay. So you still can do anything. You can trust yourself to do the job, anywhere, anytime."

Kim gazed at him, her face a mixture of emotions that he couldn't decipher, but he could see surprise, wonder, hope, and awe. Especially awe.

He could feel his words reaching her soul. She sat there, searching his eyes, and literally seeing the change in her face as she absorbed them.

"I did the right thing...?"

"Yes.", Ron said softly, "I watched you do it. And I think it was the most humanly beautiful thing you've ever done."

She stared at him, completely blown away by that...

"How...?", she whispered in wonder, "How did you do that?"

Ron gently smiled at her.

"It was easy.", he said, "Because my best friend needed me."

She reached out and held onto him tightly, the tears flowing freely, and he could feel it was the vindication for which she had been searching a very long time, ever since Junior Prom. Those words released her from a guilt and self doubt which had oppressed her for so long, so fearfully, and it suddenly dissolved away. It all came out in a flood then. She told him everything she had felt, the feelings that Eric had awakened in her, the special way he made her feel, the incredible love he created in her, and the absolute emotional wreck she became when it betrayed her. He could tell she hadn't said anything to anyone about it until now, and was so relieved as he could feel the pain leaving her with every word she spoke to him. Oh, he knew this would always hurt, but not as much anymore, not since she shared it with him, her best friend. Now she could start to heal. With time, it would hurt less and less. He listened quietly as she spoke. Every buried thought which had been searing her soul trying to get out was finally released, made harmless by simply speaking in a soft voice directly into his ear as she lay her head on his shoulder.

After an eon of time, she became silent, having said all she could, finally empty of everything that was pent up inside her. She simply held on to him, the bliss of freedom which so engulfed her multiplied infinitely by the sense of his body next to hers, touching hers. He continued to embrace her, giving her the time she needed to lean on him, and two tears escaped his own eyes, a feeling of justification of the purpose for his entire life now completely taking him over as he felt so blessed that he was able to give this, this incredible moment of relief and salvation to her. He wanted so much to tell how much he loved her himself. He still didn't understand why but maybe this was the right time? was the Prophecy telling him he should tell her now? Should he?...

Somehow he felt it wasn't time, not just yet. First, he could feel she still needed time to resolve her self-doubt and then also her doubts about him, and of course there was the other reason...

He wasn't going to rip her heart in two again by not surviving. But for her, this was a crucial first step, and of course her healing was not going to happen overnight. He could see now what Sensei and Nana were talking about. She would never have been comfortable enough to allow him to really assist her as a full equal with so much mistrust within her. She really would have always seen everything and everyone, including him, as a threat.

He didn't know how long they held each other like that. It was one of those moments in time almost frozen in eternity, one he would remember the rest of his life, but eventually Kim pulled her head back off of his shoulder and faced him. Through the tears, he could see a new peace in her face, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

"Thank you.", she said softly, 'Thank you for being my friend, my best friend."

He smiled in return, "Always, Kim."

"Am I still your girlfriend, too?"

He chuckled, "Hey, that never changed. As long as you want me there as your BF, you got me."

"Then you really are better than I deserve."

He snickered again, replying, "Naw, Kim. Like I said, too hard to replace you."

She laughed with him for a minute, then said, "Yeah. But you're right about what you said. I've harshed on you pretty bad about some things lately. I guess I was trying to get you to live up to the expectations I had for a BF."

He said, "You wanted me to be 'perfect', huh?"

Her eyes flashed some pain briefly, and she timidly confessed, "It was wrong, I know, but I didn't realize that at first. It was when you said I treated 'Eric' better than you."

Mildly surprised, he said, "You heard that, huh?"

"I'm sorry.", she said, "Forgive?"

"Hey, nothing to forgive. K.P. I really didn't mean it, anyway. But you know I'll always be here for you. Don't you?"

"Yeah, I do.", she replied, smiling and drying her tears, "Look, I just got really weirded out by all this. It scared me and I over-reacted. I should have trusted you more. I shouldn't have tried to compare you with anybody. And I know I really haven't been the best girlfriend either."

"I'm not complaining. You've been the best as far as I'm concerned."

She giggled slightly, "Now you're not being truthful. You know I've been distant from you, too."

He just grinned, "I know. I just figured you had your reasons. Now I know why."

"But how did you? You said yourself, you don't know hardly anything about girls."

"Maybe not, Kim.", he said serenely, "but I think I know my best friend pretty good."

Kim gazed at him, a contented look coming over her face.

"I guess you do, don't you?"

"Well, not all the details, until now. Look, there's no pressure, Kim. You do what you need to do. I can wait."

Ron could see her mind was racing with thoughts. She frowned slightly as if she just came to a realization, like she had made a decision.

"Ron", she said, "I have a confession to make."

He remained still, not liking the way that sounded.

"I think it is true.", she continued, "I was just leading you on after all... ...in a way. Please understand it was not intentional... ...I think..."

"You think?"

She looked at him guiltily.

"I... ...I wasn't trying to hurt you, believe me. But I really wasn't looking at you as a boyfriend. I was, I guess, sort of rebounding."

"Rebounding?", he said with a worried tone, "Are you saying you were only dating me because of the 'Eric' thing? Not because you really wanted to date me?"

She grimaced and gritted her teeth, looking embarrassed, "I didn't intend to do that. It just sort of happened."

"You mean.", said Ron, his face ashen, "you don't want to be my girlfriend any more?"

The reflection of the light in her eyes made him think that it confirmed the painful truth of that statement to him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Intralogue**

The reporter was busy copying the new information down.

"Gosh, this is new. I didn't realize your relationship with Mr. Stoppable was not so, shall we say, solid?"

Kim frowned, "It's not what you think. If you really look at it, We really weren't boyfriend and girlfriend up to that point in time. Things did change after that."

"For the better, I assume?"

She smiled back at the reporter, saying a bit cryptically, "Oh yeah. It was for the better, though we still had a ways to go."

"I see.", she said, still scribbling furiously, "I'll come back to that later. Right now, I want to ask about Shego. If I understand you correctly, you became concerned about her because she seemed to be getting more powerful."

"That's right. I could see after the synthodrone mission that her plasma blasts had become stronger, more lethal and dangerous. And I noticed she herself was different in some way."

"So this was when you started thinking that Shego was not who you thought she was."

"I first suspected that she found some way to augment her plasma blasts. It worried me that she would become unbeatable, which was bad enough.", replied Kim, "But then I studied her behavior, and I started thinking she might be having some sort of medical problem. In any case, I had no idea it would lead to the changes in her life she eventually went through. It was hard. I really hated her back then, you know."

"Who could blame you?"

"Maybe so, but it still wasn't right to do that.", Kim said, smiling to herself, "I'll admit I sure wouldn't want to go through what she endured, but it really worked out for best. She's definitely a lot better off now."

"Yes. So...", continued the reporter/writer, going on to yet another aspect of Kim's life, "I believe this is where your dad ran into problems."

"Oh, yeah.", said Kim softly, becoming a bit morose at the memory, "When Drakken did the brain drain thing on my dad after he deleted the file on the Hephaestus Project, that was three billion dollars down the tubes. He couldn't recall enough of it to reconstruct the project. The space program wasn't too happy."

"So they let him go."

"Just about the worst day ever, almost", she replied, grimacing as much from thinking about it as from the spasm which had just hit her again, "It hit us kind of hard financially. I'm still so glad Ron was there to help."

"then, Ron... ...Mr. Stoppable was the one."

"Oh, brother, was he.", Kim said, shaking her head and smirking, "There was the mission to stop Killigan and his crazy golf club scheme. Remember when I told you how I was so surprised when Ron told me what he had been hiding from me all that time? That was when he shocked me but good."

"Uh, is that Killigan or Mr. Stoppable?"

Kim laughed, "Actually both of them!"


	10. Chapter 10

Ron sat there staring blank faced at Kim, his heart crashing into his gut. 'Is that it?", he thought, 'Now that I've gone through all this, after realizing how much I love her? Do I have to go back to being just the "best friend"?'. He was sure he would do it, if it came to that. He had said so before, and meant it. But with his heart in his throat, he wondered, 'Can I really do that now, after what we've shared?'. He swallowed hard. If they were to remain even just BFF's, then yes. He would do it. He had to make sure nothing destroyed their friendship, even if they stopped being BF-GF.

"I mean...", he continued flatly, "If you really feel that way."

Kim relaxed, and smiled. It was true she felt like that, but only because of how she played him.

She said, "No, Ron. This is not on you. It's not what you think. You see, the fault is mine. For the last six months, I was supposed to be your girlfriend. But I was the one who wasn't being honest. After Eric, I... ...I hurt so much. I turned to you because I knew I could trust you. And you have been the greatest."

Her face tensed up slightly, her cheeks flushing as she added, "But I trusted you for the wrong reasons. I was playing you, not on purpose, but still... ...you see I never really looked at you as, well..."

"As BF material. I know.", he finished.

"Yeah.", she answered very softly, her eyes mirroring the regret she felt, "I guess I kept expecting that perfection I had found in Eric, the 'perfect boyfriend'.", saying the last words self-mockingly and rolling her eyes, "And what I was really doing was using you as a substitute for what he should have been. And it was wrong, so very wrong."

Her eyes welled up, but she had a lopsided smile, an apology to go with her confession.

"I think that's why I've been harshing so much on you, and everybody else too. I was expecting you to be somebody you're not. It wasn't fair to us, and definitely not fair to you."

"Okay.", he said hesitantly, a little confused, "So what do you think you need to do about it?"

Kim seemed to think very hard on his question, looking off in the distance a moment to collect her thoughts before she responded.

"Well.", she said, "You know all the times I got on to you about things. You know, the "Ronness' thing, the phobias, the times you, uh..."

"Screw up?"

Kim winced slightly as he said it.

"Uh, yeah.", she said apologetically, "You know I always thought it was mainly because you've been so, you know, immature."

Ron frowned in irritation. How long was he going to have to fight this? But it was a minor thing. He was actually ecstatic inside. Kim had finally opened up, was trusting to share with him what was bothering her so much. But he knew he had to be so careful right now...

"Kim.", he said, "Look, I'm not that bad. I get a little carried away, sometimes. That's all."

Kim didn't say anything, just smirking guiltily at him.

"Okay, maybe a little more than that.", he admitted grudgingly, pursing his lips and adding, "I understand, Kim. I understand where you're coming from. You're right. I kinda have been that way. I see that now."

"But I also noticed how you've changed for the better since the prom.", she quickly added, "You haven't been near as bad about it."

Ron smiled, glad she recognized he really was trying.

"Sensei has been a great help, you know.", Ron said.

Kim nodded, "I"m sure of it."

Ron smiled back, "Then I guess you're saying I've made some progress then, huh?"

"Yes, you have.", she said, still smiling before she assumed her serious look again, "But I was still wrong in the way I treated you. So, what I'm saying is not that you weren't being 'BF' material for me, but that I wasn't being 'GF' material for you, because I really meant it when I said you definitely deserve a better girlfriend than me."

Ron shook his head, "No, Kim. That's not true."

"Yes, it is, Ron.", she replied with conviction.

He tried to shake his head 'no' again, but she put a hand up on his cheek and made him look at her.

"Yes. It. Is.", she said again firmly, gazing into his eyes, "And that's why I'm going to ask you to forgive me for treating you like that."

"You know I will, Kim., he said softly, his heart dropping into his stomach, pausing before going on, "So, you still want us to be BFF's, right?"

She paused a moment, taking a deep breath, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Ron, when you kissed me at the prom, I knew we were going way past being just best friends. The problem was I didn't really feel that way then, and I... ...I shouldn't have let it happen like that, but I was too heartbroken. You were safe for me, because I knew there was no way you would hurt me. Like I said, I had never really thought of you as BF material because you were, well, you are my best friend. Plus, everything else, you know. But I had thought that maybe with time, you'd shape up and become, well, 'BF qualified', I guess, or something like that. I don't know. I just wasn't thinking straight.

"What I didn't realize until now is that I wasn't even giving you the chance. I wasn't being a good girlfriend to you. I was the one taking out my frustrations out on you, blaming you for things that weren't your fault, making you my scapegoat. And the worst thing was the way I thought of you being so much less than you really are."

He gazed at her and said nothing, not willing to argue the point. He could see her mind was set about his abilitites, or lack of them, but at least she was giving him some credit. He was grateful their friendship was saved. He wouldn't have been able to stand it without that in his life. He relaxed more, his face showing only the concern he had without any recrimination.

"You see, Ron.", she went on, "Even after everything I threw at you, after being so distant from you, after not trusting you, you never once harshed back at me. You never once tried to put me down for it, even though I deserved it. And I should have seen that it wasn't you who was being immature. It was me. And the fact that you treated me so well while I did that to you only underlies how much more mature you really are now."

He ducked his head momentarily, a little embarrassed, then looked back into her eyes. One tear escaping down her cheek, she met his gaze just as intensely.

"I think I see now.", she said, "And that is why I will ask you again to forgive me for doing what I did to my best friend. And I'm going to ask you, if you, Ron Stoppable, not some substitute for an imaginary perfect boyfriend. Will you be my boyfriend?"

"What?", he choked out.

Stunned, he then whispered almost inaudibly, "You still want me?"

She bit her lower lip, her face indecisive.

"I'm still not all that sure of myself, Ron", she said softly at first, then added with determination, "but I am sure that I have to try. There is something inside me that I feel for you. I know it."

"But.", Ron stuttered, "but, is it... ...is it right for you?"

"I don't know. But if I don't try, I'll never know. I have to find out."

Her gaze seemed to sear his eyes with green fire, and he saw the reflection of the old determination in her eyes, the steely glint of the old Kim Possible he knew and loved, before 'Eric'.

"Are you sure?"

"Ron, how could I not ask you?", she answered, "After all you done for me? After the years of friendship, of backing me up through all the missions? After being here even now to help me through this?"

She reached up and cupped his face in her hands, softly stroking his face.

"You've given me so much.", she whispered, "And especially now that I think I'm beginning to understand better what you mean to me. I know that despite my doubts, I have to try with you. You deserve... ...we deserve at least that much."

Ron was floored. Her eyes took hold of him, liquid emerald pools reflecting the depths of her soul as she poured it out to him. She had never been this open with him before.

"That's what best friends are for, Kim."

"But what you did for me here goes beyond being just best friends, Ron.", she replied earnestly, "This goes beyond just friendship. You deserve the same. So I want to do this. For real. You just told me that I didn't make a mistake with Eric, that I gave him my heart because I had the character to do it. If that's true, I think I have the character to do it again. I can't promise you where this will take us, but I promise you I will commit to trying to be a real girlfriend you deserve."

Ron felt like a man just reprieved from an execution, and barely managed to not show it.

"Kim.", he said, "I'm here for you, either way. There isn't anyone I want more for my best friend. But I do want you as my girlfriend, because I──"

Ron stopped. He had to. He couldn't tell her why he wanted her that much... ...not yet...

"──because there's nobody else I would want as my girlfriend."

Kim gazed into his eyes, trying to decipher what he said, thinking, 'What did he just not say?...'

Instead she asked, "That much, huh?"

Ron grinned, "Yeah. But what about you? Are you sure?"

"I admit, I gotta go slow. I gotta.", Kim answered deliberately, the indecisive worry back on her face, "I don't know how I feel exactly. I do know you mean so much to me. You are too important to the meaning of my life."

He gazed into her eyes, trying to decipher what she was saying.

"But I'm still not really BF material?"

Closing her eyes momentarily, Kim shook her head no in contradiction, then gazed right back at him.

"Not true, Ron. I think you are definitely BF material. I think maybe you always have been. But I'm the one who has to figure that out and see it for myself. If I don't, then it's my fault, because then you really would deserve someone better. Maybe we don't fit together in that way, and maybe down the road, we can't go this way. But I'm the one who has to learn what that really means, deep inside."

"Then you're sure?"

Kim scooted in closer, putting her arms around him.

"I do want to do this."

"No matter where it leads us?"

"No matter where it leads us."

Ron held her gaze a good long while before smiling again.

He said softly, "Okay by me."

Then he hungrily pulled her in and kissed her passionately. She returned it with everything she had, and Ron realized she had never kissed him like this before, not even at the prom. They slowly parted, both of them breathing deeply as they savored a level of emotion they had not ever achieved until now. His brown eyes, warm and inviting, drank in the depths of emerald light from hers, and she gladly gave it.

When she pulled back, she said, "Look. I'll make a deal with you. I'll trust you to tell me everything that's been happening with you when you think it's right to do it, and I won't worry any more about it. In return, you let me work this out in my own way. I just need time."

He looked down in deep thought for a few moments, thinking of that. Then he looked back up at her.

"Kim, I trust you. We were best friends for fourteen years before we started dating. We'll always have that, no matter what."

Her face became brighter as she replied, "You're right. That will never change. We will always be tight. Right now though, I do really need to figure a lot of things out for myself."

That's fine, Kim.", he said, "And I want you to know this. The stuff I haven't told you are things I am dying to tell you. I just have good reasons why I can't right now. But I promise you, when I do tell you, you won't be disappointed."

Ron realized it then. Kim needed someone just as strong as her, just as capable as her. Someone she could respect and depend on. Sure, she was Kim Possible, world famous teen hero who could do anything. But she also was like any teen girl who had her insecurities and foibles. She needed a rock to lean on, a foundation that would never crack, someone who would take care of supporting her when she needed it in those times she would falter. That person also needed to let her shine when she wanted as well. He knew now he could do that. Before the Prom, he always thought he could have been her boyfriend. Now he saw he had been nowhere near ready back then. When it came right down to it, he hadn't grown up enough to stop thinking of himself instead of her. He had wanted to be the one who could do anything, as well as her... ...but no more. Now, he had no problem making her the center of his world.

Kim looked at him with a quizzical look, smirking "You seem to be pretty sure of that."

He smiled, "Hey! If I'm wrong, no harm done. We'll still work it out. We'll still be friends. And if I'm right, maybe I can be exactly what you were looking for, after all. Okay?"

She chuckled, then kissed him lightly one more time as he released her, letting her get back behind the wheel. As she started up the car, it struck her that she had never heard him quite so confident before.

"Okay, 'Loverboy'.", she said smugly, "I guess I'll have to trust you on that. At least you're no synthodrone."

They both laughed as Ron scooted back to his side and buckled up again.

"Straight up. K.P. Hey! If I screw it up, you can just have Rufus bite me and spill my synthogoo out all over the place."

Rufus popped out of Ron's pocket and echoed that sentiment with a definite "Buya!".

Kim stared at him with that slight smirk still on her face, her eyebrows knitted together.

"It wasn't that funny, Ron.", she said, but she continued chuckling.

"Well.", he replied with playful pout, "I was trying to cheer you up."

She started driving towards the hospital, remaining silent, savoring the revelations they had just confessed to each other. After a few blocks, she and Ron started looking at each other funny. Before long they burst out laughing and couldn't stop until they got to the hospital. The image of Rufus biting Ron and his shriveling up was just too much for them.

Still laughing as she turned off the ignition, she turned to him, "Ron! Thanks! I really mean it. I couldn't even tell Monique!"

"No prob, K.P. We're really kinda a pair, aren't we?", he said.

She snickered, replying serenely, "Oh yeah, we are."

Kim was quiet for a minute, smiling steadily at Ron, then reached over and grabbed his hand in hers and said, "But you know what? I don't care. My best friend, my boyfriend was there for me tonight, and that made this a perfect night for me."

And she was incredibly surprised, practically stunned. She never expected anything like this from him, to be able to ease her mind and soul so beautifully, so, so like a what? A soul mate?... ...What he told her was so deep, deeper than anything he had ever said to her before. Was he really capable of being that insightful, even wise? Was this a side of him she had never suspected, much less seen before? She was so awed by that thought!...

She leaned over and kissed him long and slow. She knew now Ron understood her better than she thought he could. Then they went into the hospital and had one of the most enjoyable Halloweens they would remember.

* * *

During the fall Drakken laid low with Shego at their newest lair. It was one he used for emergencies, close to his first lair in the Caribbean. He had already made plans for a newer, more permanent one near Siberia. She wanted to go back to the time share, but Drakken had flatly refused this time. Now her mood was even more disturbed than before, especially after this last 'lame' scheme he tried, as she put it, and she roasted him really good about how bad it was.

"How loony can you be?", she yelled at him, "What were you doing? You had missile technology, but no payload? What was all this hooey about 'mind control gas' anyway? You could have at least come up with something that would have at least captured that stupid little girl!"

She was still really cranked for some reason at this new addition to their arch-foe's team, though Drakken had already dismissed Jos as a mere distraction. He uncharacteristically held his calm throughout.

"Yes, Shego, but then they wouldn't have gotten away, like I planned."

"But you said the plan was to destroy the buffoon!", she shouted.

"True. But not Kim Possible or her hick cousin, not on that particular confrontation anyway. My plans for their destruction will come later. Don't worry! It worked out fine that they all got away. The only problem was that I didn't anticipate how much more capable the buffoon had gotten."

She looked at him goggle-eyed, "Stoppable? Are you kidding me? You are sooooo whacked!"

He was really getting tired of her saying that.

"Not in the least, Shego,", he replied irritably, "Merely more brilliant."

He didn't try to be hip any more. It just wasn't working.

She kept attacking him, "So you intended for them to all get away? You let the lair get blown up for nothing?"

Drakken faced her down with an angry look of his own.

"I meant the lair to be expendable, Shego,", he went on, "But not to be intentionally sacrificed! I had hoped it would survive, so I could at least sell it as used goods. Dementor probably would have snapped it up. But yes, the lair served its purpose."

She asked in exasperation, "Then what was it all for?"

"The buffoon, of course."

"Again with the buffoon! So what about Ron Stoppable? I don't understand! First you say wanted to destroy him! then you say you're glad you didn't destroy him! So make up your mind, for Pete's sake! What does he have to do with any of this? I thought the ultimate goal was to take over the world!"

"It still is, Shego.", he said in monotone annoyance.

"Then why are you going after the boob instead of Possible?", she roared.

Drakken calmly sighed to himself. Exasperated even more, he mentally steeled himself to again try and show her yet one more time in the simplest terms possible what should have been so painfully obvious before.

"Remember the video footage I showed you?", he said evenly.

"Phew! So what?", Shego said dismissively, flapping a hand at him, "He learned a couple of new moves! Big whooopee!"

"Be logical, Shego. What was the key to my plan with the diablos?"

Irked, she recited sarcastically in a childish nasal voice, stating the obvious, "You had to stop Kim Possible. If you did that, you won."

"Well, didn't my plan work?"

"Doy!",she said, her tone denigrating, "Are you kidding? Obviously not!"

"Think again, Shego.", he repeated, his anger slowly boiling underneath his words, "Did I or did I not have Kim Possible captured and her spirit broken?"

Shego stopped and looked at him, puzzled.

"Well, yes, but she came back, like she always does! Where are you going with this?"

Drakken smiled his very evil smile, "How do you think she came back?"

"What do you mean? She always does, you know!"

"Yes, but exactly how does that happen? What changed from the way she was when we defeated her at Bueno Nacho to get her to the point she was able to defeat me again?"

"Well, she was completely out of it, mentally and physically until..."

The light turned on in her eyes.

"The buffoon?"

"Aha! Now you see!", he cried, glad that he managed to get her dull brain to grasp that concept, "We've had her captured before, haven't we? But she got away. Granted, sometimes on her own, but not always. But why? Her backup! How? Don't know, don't really care. But there it is. So you see, we have defeated her before. But we did not defeat her backup. But of course, why should we bother with that? Who would give the buffoon any credence? He was ineffectual, a nobody, an incompetent! Yet, for some uncanny reason, he is possibly her greatest asset, and we ignored him to our peril right under our very noses! Well, no more! I will assess his potential, which shouldn't be that much actually despite the new tricks he's seemed to have learned, and then we will destroy him!

"And once he's destroyed...", he laughed evilly, "Eventually, Kim Possible will fail! She will not win! And that is all I will ever need to destroy her!"

The explanation was perfectly clear, or so he thought. Shego stared at him for ten long seconds before answering. That uncomprehending stare slowly turned once more into sullen anger.

"Please!", she grated at him, "You have got to be kidding!"

She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving him fuming again that she hadn't grasped it.

Leaving the control chamber, Shego was overwhelmingly irate at having to hear the same old drivel, the repetitively tiring garbage he always spouted.

'Gads!', she thought, 'Will he never stop?'

She stomped off, sulking and muttering to herself about how whacked this plan was, just like all the others. But the farther down the hallway she got, the more she she calmed down, until she was able to consider what he had said in more detail, and she had to admit that maybe the Doc might have finally hit the right idea. It made sense to her in a weird way. 'But why does he have to be so convoluted about it?', she mused. Mulling it over, she was striding down a corridor toward her quarters when it again made no sense whatsoever, triggering a sudden rage that hit her so hard, she could barely keep from blowing up. The crazy thing about it was that for some reason she didn't know what she was mad at. But ever since she got hit by that laser, these fits had been happening more frequently. Her head began spinning. Without warning, she collapsed to the floor, her body in spasms and her face contorted in pain. Feeling the fit coming on, she barely managed to crawl into a nearby room and shut the door behind her before anyone could see her. Then it hit her full force, knocking her unconscious.

She didn't know how long she was out. When she woke up, her arms and legs were sore from jerking around like they did when this happened. She had bit her tongue, which bled some. She found herself hugging a chair in the room, groggy for a couple of minutes or so before she figured out where she was. She felt terribly drained of energy. The rage she felt was gone, but she still felt unnaturally angry, still unsure as to why. Regaining her bearings, she slowly looked about the room and saw that she had blown a hole in the far wall with one of her blasts that was the size of a house. Worse than that, she had obliterated several rooms beyond. Astounded, she wondered, 'That looks like one of my blasts, but I've never achieved one that powerful before. It's humongous!' That started her thinking about when she was fighting Kim Possible the last time. She could barely recall the last part of the fight, yet remembered that somehow she had let loose a blast of plasma that had almost disintegrated her arch-foe, and nearly got her and Drakken killed as well. It wiped out Drakken's force field and wrecked the control panel, causing the overload which destroyed the lair.

This blast was even larger. She needed to investigate this more, to figure out what was happening to her. But before she could do anything, alarms started ringing. People were coming. Calmly she adjusted her tights and her hair, and left the room as soon as she could, making sure that nobody saw her. The incident was later put down to being the fault of a malfunctioning reactor, and she was never connected to it in any way. Even though it was an obvious deduction that the damage was caused by a plasma blast, Drakken somehow did not associate her with it. Shego smirked when she thought about it later. For all his brilliance he could be such a dunce about the little things. But it was also true that he had plenty of weird equipment that was going on the fritz all the time like that, sometimes exploding, so it was not that unusual for him to assume that. Nobody got hurt, so there wasn't an uproar about it either. In the clear, Shego went back to her usual routine, waiting for Drakken to come up with yet another scheme. This bored her silly for a couple of weeks, but finally he called her back and said he had a little job for her to do.

"What is it, Dr. D?", she said sullenly when she entered the main lab.

"Shego, I'd like you to look up two old 'friends' for me.", he said as he tinkered with one of his gadgets, his attention focused, "Monkey Fist and Killigan. I think it's time we pooled our resources once more."

"Yeah, the freak stooges again.", she muttered to herself as she rolled her eyes.

He looked up at her and asked, "What did you say?"

"Uh, it's good to have friends, Dr. D."

"Well, I wouldn't call them that."

"You just did."

He frowned at her, "Shego, I was being sar... ...never mind. I do have a use for their skills. Now Killigan is at his island, but Monkey Fist is currently under lock and key with the British authorities."

"Oh? What happened to him?"

"Apparently he stole some artifact from some ninja school in Japan, and then some antiquities in Cambodia. British agents caught up with him in Singapore and flew him to England, though it looks like he managed to hide the goods before he was captured. Pity, they might have been useful, whatever they were. Anyway, that's not important. I just need his skills for our present endeavor."

"Not a problem, Dr. D. My specialty is breaking failed super villains out of jail."

Drakken glared at her, irritated as usual when she did this, "Whatever, Shego. Just get him out, if... ...you... ...please..."

"On my way.", she replied in a musical voice, and headed out of the lab.

After Shego delivered the message to Killigan, she went after Monkey Fist. The prison where he was located was maximum security, which of course only meant it was going to be a piece of cake for her. She scouted the grounds for a good while to get the layout of the buildings, and finally was able to pinpoint where the erstwhile Lord Fiske was being held. When she was sure she had the right building, a four story behemoth, she scanned the top floor through her binoculars, knowing from previous intelligence he would be there. The roof would be her escape route. She only had to wait until after nightfall.

At midnight she stealthily came up to the outer wall and easily vaulted over it into the prison yard. She made sure to time it so that the lights would be turned away at the moment she was in range. Then she quickly ran over to a nearby door of the building which led into the most secure area, where the worst and most hardened criminals were housed. Selectively using her index finger, she fired green plasma focused into a tight beam and melted away the lock to the door, quietly slipping inside before the cameras and searchlights made their rounds back to that entry way. Inside, she quietly closed the door again and welded it shut with another burst. Gliding silent as death, she made her way down the corridor, again timing her approach to avoid the cameras. Some of the units couldn't be avoided, and these she disabled. By the time they figured that out, she would be long gone. Gaining the main staircase, she bounded quickly and quietly up to the topmost floor and peered into the hallway through the barred window in the door. Guards were patrolling there, just as she had expected.

She waited until their rounds left only one guard in sight. Then she acted. One burst of green plasma neutralized the lock and she opened the door just as the guard passed it. He looked quickly around, saying, "What the...", before she touched his forehead and injected another small burst of green energy, knocking him unconscious, then caught him before he hit the floor and dragged him back into the stairwell. Looking back again down the hallway, she saw none of the other guards had shown up yet. She slipped in and stole down towards the cell block where they kept Monkey Fist.

That's when it hit her again. Another fit struck her down out of the blue, knocking her down and causing her arms and legs to spasm back and forth violently. Her hands lit up with green plasma, huge balls erupting in flame. She fought to maintain consciousness, to not black out and get herself captured in the middle of one of the most secure prisons in England. Somehow, she managed to do it, barely, but she lost enough control to let off a burst of green fire that knocked a hole in the ceiling of the prison ward with a huge explosion, the sound of it reverberating throughout the entire building. It blew the roof off to where she could see the outside starlight sparkling through the dust. Ironically, she had intended to do this to get away, but it was not supposed to happen until she had freed Monkey Fist. Now, her stealth was prematurely compromised.

The alarms sounded raucously and she heard footsteps rapidly bounding up the stairs. The door flew open and a dozen guards piled in, seeing her lying on the floor. Only momentarily surprised by the sight of a lone woman in green and black tights, they soon charged her. But Shego had recovered by then. She fired off another blast of plasma which brought another section of the roof down on top of them, stopping them dead in their tracks. She fought to clear the cobwebs still cluttering her mind, muttering about the bad turn of events, then got up and ran down the cell block to find Monkey Fist in his cell, eagerly awaiting her. He had already secretly received word she was coming. With a single bolt from her hands, she blasted his cell block gate into vapor, then she and the monkey master ran back to where she had inadvertently blasted the first hole in the roof. The guards she had disabled were still moaning and trying to disengage themselves from underneath the rubble she had dropped on them, so there was no immediate opposition from them. She had already called for the air car by remote and it was waiting when they arrived. They quickly jumped into the seats and sped away before the prison authorities could do anything more. Monkey Fist was jubilant as they flew off.

"Excellent, Shego! You have my gratitude!"

"You're welcome, 'Lord Fiske'.", she replied sullenly, "But you should thank Dr. D. It was his idea after all."

"Yes. Well, we do have mutual interests. Remind me to put in a good word for you, then."

"Whatever.", she answered in monotone, just glad that Monkey Fist or anyone else had not observed her vulnerable moment back in the prison.

But Shego didn't realize that a prison camera did.

The government wired a request for help through Kim's website to assist the British authorities due to her experience with Monkey Fist and Shego. Of course, it was no problem for Wade to track down the tape when he was investigating the breakout, and when Kim and Ron were called in to assist they could both see Shego on the video traversing the hallway towards Monkey Fist's cell block. They saw her unexpectedly go down, jerking and shaking, subsequently firing off a blast of green plasma at the ceiling. It was puzzling. Shego hadn't been hit by anything they could see, so it wasn't an external force, and Kim could see it wasn't some sort of intentional act as it almost got her nabbed by the guards. Shego barely got out of it as it was. Seeing the whole thing was weird, she showed her mom the footage.

Dr. Possible watched the Kimmunicator screen and frowned as she viewed it. At the end, she said she wasn't sure what was going on, and asked what other evidence there was of Shego having some sort of problem. Wade replied he had no other data, and there were no reports that she was sick in any way. Dr. Possible sighed and replied she just wasn't sure. At first, she thought Shego had a seizure, and had some theories on that. But she didn't want to expound on a diagnosis without more and/or better information. She added that if Kim could find that information, she might be able to better tell her what was going on with her, but she couldn't say anything further for certain at this time. Ron was still of the opinion she got hit with some kind of weapon the camera couldn't pick up. Kim disagreed, but she wasn't worried about what might or might not have hit Shego. What bothered her more than anything was the power blast Shego had let off.

It seemed to her that since Shego was involved, Drakken was obviously up to something with Monkey Fist. She would put Wade on it and hope that his intelligence gathering would discover whatever their scheme was. Other than that, all she could do was wait and see what developed.

As for Shego, her job was done. Monkey Fist said all he needed was to be let off near his palatial mansion in Southeast Asia and he would be back in touch. After she let him off, she flew back to Drakken's lair.

* * *

Kim grunted as she hit the sand. Slowly, she got up and dusted herself off as she turned around and faced her opponent. She smiled in appreciation.

"Almost got you there, Nana."

Her grandmother grinned as she came out of dragon stance, "True, Kimberly. Your head is definitely much more into the game today than lately."

"Two out of three again?"

"Perhaps later. Let's go inside. I have dinner on the stove."

Kim recognized that she wanted to talk.

"Sure thing, Nana."

She replaced the horseshoes stakes as Nana straightened out her smock and went inside. As her grandmother attended the meal, Kim set the table, after which they sat down and ate quietly. Kim wondered what she was thinking. It wasn't often Kim was able to come down and visit her Nana, only every three months or so, but she had taken to doing that ever since she learned how invaluable a resource she was for her martial training. Nana never volunteered to actually be her teacher, citing limits on her time to do so, but was glad to help whenever Kim had an occasional question or concern about her martial arts skills. Ever since Ron starting coming down to learn cooking, Kim had tried to coordinate her visits together with his, but something always seemed to get in the way of that. However, she had only tried twice so far. She was sure it would eventually happen. Nana for her part was thrilled to help where she could, but of course had good reason not to formally instruct her. The Prophecy made her role very clear on that. She also had to make sure that Ron was not around whenever Kim wanted to visit. Fortunately, the girl always called beforehand...

"Thanks, Nana.", Kim said as she nibbled on some cornbread, "I appreciate the counter-technique. That wrist lock always gave me trouble."

"You know I'm always glad to help, Kimberly.", she said, "I'm also glad to see your concentration is better. You seem happier."

Kim smiled back, "Yeah. I was having some issues with... ...things."

Her grandmother looked at her knowingly, "Sounds like boyfriend trouble."

"Actually.", Kim replied, "It was girlfriend trouble."

"Oh?"

"What I mean is that I was the problem, not Ron."

"I see. Go on."

"Well, Ron really was being real sweet about everything and I was being such a queen 'bee'. I really wasn't treating him right."

"And now?"

Kim smiled again, "I think we got the air cleared between us a lot better."

"So things are okay between you now?"

Kim looked at her thoughtfully as she chewed.

"Um.", she said, a little embarrassed, "Well, I guess what I mean is that now I'll make more of an honest effort at being a girlfriend."

"And you weren't before?"

Kim shook her head, "No, not really. I was rebounding."

Nana nodded sagely, "I see. Go on..."

Kim paused to put her thoughts together, "Nana, you know how Ron is. I mean he's the greatest friend I could ever have. He's honest, generous, sincere... ...But, you know, he's always been childish for his age. It's always been the way he messed up on the missions, the crazy stuff he'd do, the phobias, the nutty plans, you know."

"I understand, Kimberly. But that's nothing new."

"Yeah, but ever since we became boyfriend - girlfriend, it's... ...it's been hard for me to, to see him like a BF. He's always been my best friend... ...just my best friend! Now he's my boyfriend, and what I want out of a boyfriend is different. It's... ...it's..."

"──not what Ron is capable of giving you?"

Kim paused, conflicted.

"Well, yeah. It's true. Right now, deep inside, I still feel like that. I want... ...I don't know... ...perfection?... But now I see how unrealistic that is. I can't expect him to be my ideal of perfection."

"Like you did before with someone before?"

Kim looked at her pensively then nodded.

"You noticed that, huh? Yeah, I did. I don't want to do that with Ron... ...but I haven't been able to figure that out, yet."

Nana studied her granddaughter a long time before she replied, "I am glad you are able to appreciate Ron as your friend, and even more as a possible boyfriend. These things do take time. Maybe that's all you will need."

Kim's mouth twisted to one side, "I guess that's the operative word, huh? 'Possible'."

"In more ways than one, I would say.", replied her grandmother, "So, you want him to be, how do you say it? 'All that'?"

"Nana.", she whispered, "Even if he could be 'all that', like maybe he could get the mystical monkey power back and really be, you know, someone like me. I don't need that kind of complication in my life right now, plus I'm still not sure he can handle it. For all of this new maturity he seems to have, He's still just too 'Ronnish'. I'm so afraid it would ruin us in the end."

"So.", her grandmother said levelly, "The great Kim Possible knows fear."

Kim smirked at the rebuke, her grandmother grinning at the joke.

"Yeah.", she replied, "I guess I do. All I can do right now is try as hard as I can to be as good a girlfriend to him as I can, and hope that I find that it's enough, that I can figure it out."

"That's a good start," Nana replied approvingly, "It seems you and Ron had quite a talk."

"We did.", Kim said, smiling, "I didn't know he could be so... ...so deep a thinker in some ways, and yet sometimes he seems so clueless...

"Are all men that way?", she asked her grandmother irritably.

Nana laughed, "Some more than others, dear. But tell me what happened."

Kim nodded, pausing before she spoke, "He read me better than I ever thought he could. It still amazes me, and I had to admit to myself and him I wasn't really giving him a chance..."

Kim smirked thoughtfully.

"He was so able to reach me. Despite it all, somehow I think he...", she said in a very still voice.

"I think he actually could save my soul."

Nana studied her granddaughter closely, but she was smiling hugely inside, seeing her granddaughter starting to recognize the truth, something the future Dragon had to understand.

Kim turned back to her grandmother and went on, "There are times when he can make me feel better about myself than anyone I know. He knows what's in my heart, sometimes before I know it."

"Hmmmm, and he can cook.", added Nana, smiling.

Kim laughed and echoed, "And he can cook, too! That's definitely a plus!"

They shared that humor for a moment before Nana continued.

"So, in the end, what you are saying is it really doesn't matter to you that he doesn't know sixteen styles of Kung Fu, can't fight his way out through milk toast, doesn't make straight 'A's in school, can't keep from making a fool of himself, has a rather 'interesting' if odiferous, pet living in his pocket, or any other idiosyncrasies?"

Kim winced humorously at that, "Ouch! Nana, are you trying to convince me to dump him or something?"

Her grandmother chuckled, "Not at all, dear. I just want to understand exactly what it is that makes him so important to you."

Kim thought deeply on that, seeing if she could finally sum it up succinctly.

"There is no one in the whole world...", she answered, "...who will be as good a friend to me as Ron, who is so committed to helping me as one, because he cares for me more than any friend I've ever had, and I know he always will."

"That's your best friend. What about your boyfriend?"

She had to think harder on that, cupping her chin with her hand as she did.

"Yeah, that.", she said very thoughtfully, "He taught me something about character that night, Nana. I think that has to be just about the most precious gift he's ever given me. Nana, I can feel how much he cares for me. I really want the chance to try and make this relationship work. But I have to get past this thing I have."

"What about him, Kimberly? Do you think he loves you?"

Her face paled, "You mean 'love' love me. Don't you?"

She grimaced as she looked away, deep in thought.

"I don't know.", she replied quietly. "He hasn't really expressed his feelings to me... ...like that. It seems like he's, I don't know, like holding back... ...or maybe he doesn't really feel that way towards me. I'm really not sure how he feels."

"How do you know?"

"Like I said, he's still holding something back. He won't say. It's just a feeling... ...I don't get the sense he does, though."

She thought it through some more. Yeah, it was possible Ron could feel that way, but he had never even hinted at it. 'My God', she thought, 'if he does love, love me, how do I handle that? It certainly would make it easier to treat him as a boyfriend if I didn't have that complication!'

Kim knew Ron could be a good companion, even a great companion, but her heart would never flip over or do cartwheels for him, not like with 'Eric'. But was that really necessary for her? Logically it made sense, but inside, her heart cringed...

She continued, "Like I said, he still hasn't told me everything, Nana. It concerns me, but he promised he would tell me everything in time, whatever it is he wants to tell me, so I'm not really that worried. But he won't come out and just tell me how he really feels... ...or at least not yet."

"I'm glad Ron was able to do all that for you, dear.", Nana said, "You just need to understand it better yourself."

"Huh?", Kim answered, "what do you mean?"

"Ron believes you are smart enough. Do you believe it yourself?"

"I think I do, Grandma."

Nana sensed no conviction in her words. She got up from the table, starting to clear the dishes.

"You're not sure.", she asked, "Are you?"

Kim couldn't deny it.

"I trust that Ron is sure.", she said after a pause, "Right now, that's good enough for me. Maybe, in time..."

Nana stared at her, looking expectant, "Is it good enough to feel you could care for Ron the same way as you did for Eric? Enough to be permanent?"

She looked back at her grandmother in earnest, "You're asking could I marry him?

Her grandmother raised an eyebrow, nothing more.

Kim straightened up and faced her, "I believe he could love me the way a.. ...a husband would, or should."

Her grandmother sighed softly, clinking the dishes quietly into the sink.

"And you?"

Kim bit her lower lip, "I do love him. He's my best friend."

"But as a lover? As a husband?"

Kim smiled tensely as she replied, "I don't know, Nana. I think I could be a good wife to him. I know he will never betray me. He will always be concerned about me. He will dedicate himself to the relationship. A girl could do a lot worse."

"True.", Nana said, "But to really love him?"

Kim ducked her head in worry.

"Maybe I'll just have to be content with what he can give me.", she said softly, her words unsure again, "Maybe, he won't ever make me feel the way Eric did, but I have to try. We both deserve that chance, even if it does change things in our lives."

"Will it be enough?"

Kim couldn't answer that...

"Kimberly.", Nana asked, still pushing the subject, "I want to ask you this. What if he did become as capable as you in the future? What if he was able to fight, to lead a mission? In short, what if he was able to do anything? You've told me it scared you because of his immaturity, because he wasn't mature enough to make those decisions. From what you've just said, it sounds like he's a lot more mature than you thought. So I ask you, if he was capable, would you let him lead?"

Kim sat still, not answering immediately, thinking it over, her face tensed in concentration as she considered the question. She slowly nodded to herself as she answered.

"I don't see how that could be, Nana." she mumbled, still unsure, "But if somehow, he was able to do all that... ...Gosh, I don't know. Maybe, I think I might, if he doesn't just try to take over everything."

"Why do you think that?"

"You know how Ron is!", Kim said, worried, "It would be a fight just to stay coordinated and keep him from going off on tangents like he does."

"But if he really changes? Would you let him lead a mission?"

Kim looked at her thoughtfully.

"If...if I thought he was mature enough to do that. Then maybe..."

"Well", Nana said smiling, "Maybe he'll surprise you."

Kim looked at like she was a loon.

"As if!", Kim replied with a chuckle, getting up to help her with the dishes and wondering why she was asking.

And despite all she said, Nana could see her granddaughter still did not fully believe it could happen. Kim turned on the water and put in some dish soap. Nana went to the other sink and prepared to rinse and dry. They said nothing for a space as they worked.

"But you know.", Kim said softly, "It might be nice. It's just that..."

Nana looked concerned as she looked up sharply. Maybe, her granddaughter seemed to have made some progress after all...

"What is it, dear?"

Kim straightened up and looked her grandmother in the eye, letting go a deep sigh.

"Grandmother, I can see now that Ron is someone I could have as a husband. His heart I can be sure of. The rest of him... ...well... ...I think I could make that commitment to him, and accept all of his, you know, eccentricities..."

'But..."

Kim grimaced, looking down a moment before answering, "It's too much to expect of him to do what I do. Ron and I have made a great team doing the missions and saving the world, and he really is an asset. But I always have had to watch out for him. I let him come along initially because he actually started the whole world saving thing back in the day with Mr. Paisley. As time went on, we learned to integrate our moves so that we can be effective and successfully complete the missions, even with Ron's, uh, miscues, let's say. But the missions are getting harder. The villains are tougher. The dangers are more serious. Over time, I've gotten better, more knowledgeable in my skills, but Ron has remained the same. I'm not an adolescent any more, Nana. I've grown up enough. And I think... ...I think it may be time to stop."

Nana regarded her granddaughter very seriously.

"When did you start thinking about this, dear?"

"The Cambodia mission. I──... Ron did his best, even though he royally messed up again, and it was only because I came on the scene that I saved him, as usually is the case, you know. I just never looked at it quite so seriously before."

"Is it him, or is it you?", Nana asked.

Kim looked at her worriedly.

"I don't know. Maybe both."

"I think it's more you, dear. Would you really give up saving the world? You've been so passionate about it all these years. You really love doing it."

'I just don't know if I have it in me any more, Nana." said Kim, and she suddenly broke out in tears.

Nana gathered her into a hug and comforted her.

"It's not so bad, Kimberly. If it were up to me, I know you have it in you. You've always been able to do anything you wanted, including saving the world on a daily basis. It's what makes you who you are."

"Do you think so, Nana?"

"Of course I do! There's not a doubt in my mind whatsoever."

"Thank you, Nana.", Kim whispered, softly crying.

She let go and Nana took hold of her hands looked deeply into her eyes.

"Kimberly, I want to ask you to do something. Don't make any hasty decisions. Can you keep doing the missions?"

Kim wiped her eyes dry and nodded, "Yes. I can. I have to. There's nobody else who can take over for me right now, and I can't just stop until someone else can assume that responsibility. I'm thinking of letting GJ and TI take over in time, but──. I'm just worried if we get into trouble before I can do that, that something might happen."

"I know, dear, But trust me on this. I think it will be okay. I want you to just keep working with Ron and Jos. I think you may start to see things differently in time, and all this worry of yours will go away."

Kim looked at her quizzically, "Uh... ...are you sure, Nana?

"I'm sure it won't hurt for you to wait before making such a big decision like that. Give it time."

Kim smiled lopsidedly, "Okay. Okay, Nana."

"Will you trust me on this one small thing?"

"I think so.", She said, nodding, "If you say so, I will."

She gathered her grandmother back into a strong embrace, with all her love.

She would try. But right then, she could find no hope inside her that her grandmother was right...

* * *

It was a slow realization, but Kim realized Ron's freckles had started to fade a little. His looks appeared to be more chiseled from his continued weight training. In the past they had been of equal height, but he had gone into a final growth spurt and he now was about two inches taller than her. He was losing the 'baby fat' look, too. It surprised her that he was actually starting to look pretty good. His physique didn't have the exaggerated muscles like when he used the molecular muscle enhancing ring from Jack Hench, but he was developing some definite sculpture. When she asked, he replied that he was still going to the gym at the school and putting in the time on the weights, to which she marveled that he had stuck to it. Ron smiled, but said nothing more. Halloween had been a wonderful turning point, such an epiphany for them. Their relationship on more solid ground now. When they had time together, Kim found she liked sneaking off with him somewhere and just kissing. Ron enjoyed it immensely, although he kept getting the feeling she was still searching for something within herself, something that seemed to escape her, and that kept her from getting closer to him.

Winter was coming up, and looking forward to the holidays this year was something that had Kim distressed. This Christmas was going to be a somber one for the Possible family. Her dad had lost his job at the Space Center and was having a hard time finding another one. It seemed that rocket scientists were not in so much demand these days. Her mom did her best to keep his spirits up, but it was hard. He was in a deep funk most of the time and would sit at home and look through the want ads of the leading scientific journals while the tweebs were firing rockets off in the house, which he usually didn't notice at all nowadays. Their parents never did quite break them of that habit.

One day, Wade beeped Kim on the Kimmunicator, saying he had an urgent communication for her from some government official. This perked her interest as it was a call she had been expecting ever since that same official had formally contacted her through the website a few weeks before. He had made a surprising offer to her at the time, one that could be very rewarding, monetarily, and still let her save the world. Wade checked him out and reported to Kim the offer was legit, verifying that this government agent wanted to make her an official special operative for the government's most sensitive missions, and now wanted to discuss the proposal personally. She took the call and over the next ten minutes, he outlined his proposal. When he finished, Kim was extremely excited. She thought it was a great offer. It could be the answer to all her problems. The government had lots of resources which she could use in her fight against the bad guys.

Wade wasn't so sure. After all, she didn't need it all that much as he was able to pretty much hack into anything and always got the information and transportation she needed, but he did concede there were some advantages. For one, he wouldn't have to work quite so hard and didn't have to "fudge" on any laws or ethics, like microchipping, or at least not as much. Still more, there were perks such as health insurance, IRA's, and lots of technology they could get their hands on. She eagerly contemplated how they also were able to offer to her a headquarters complex, a home base of some kind, and all sorts of transportation in the form of neat cars, planes, and who knew what else. Eventually, Wade came around and was cautiously optimistic about it after he reviewed the written proposal details posted on the website. But it ended up a total bust. At the end of their conversation, Kim was agreeable to the offer and everything seemed to be going fine until the agent said they would have to tie into her financial resources, that they could only do it if she could foot the bill.

"What financial resources?", she exclaimed, "My bank account has $82.14 in it!"

The government agent looked at her in total surprise. He had assumed she charged for her services like Team Impossible did, before they joined Global Justice. 'Talk about the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing in the government!', she thought.

Crushed, she said "Thanks, anyway" and broke off the connection.

For a second she did halfway regret not charging for her services now that her dad was out of a job and the family needed money. It wasn't that they would lose the house or anything, but their usual lifestyle had definitely taken a hit or two. Her mother's job as a brain surgeon at a university teaching hospital was mostly indigent work, so her paycheck was not that hot, which was also further adversely affected because she didn't want to work too many hours with three children at home to raise. She was being forced to do something she didn't want to do, which was to sacrifice that family time and set up a private practice to bring in more money. But even that would take several months to a year to get off the ground and profitable. Kim just couldn't bring herself to go the same route Team Impossible did, though, especially after forcing them to give up 'for profit' hero work in the first place. She would feel like such a hypocrite.

To her surprise, Ron offered to loan her money. She refused of course, but gave him a big hug and a kiss for the thought. She knew it was a token offer. It was so sweet of him to do it when he himself was so broke all the time, even with his having a job again at Bueno Nacho. Usually, it was Ron who always borrowed from her, though lately he had thankfully stopped doing that. He was strangely silent when she thanked him while politely declining his assistance. And of course, the real world would intrude at the most inopportune times. In early December, the Possible-Stoppable team was called back into action. Wade reported Duff Killigan was trying to steal all the golf clubs in the world so nobody could play golf unless they let him play too. Kim frowned at the Kimmunicator, not wanting to answer it all, feeling apprehensive as she did.

'Now this is really, so lame.', Kim thought, but true to her nature she responded to the call of duty.

"Can't they just make more clubs?", Kim complained to Wade, getting her gear together as he advised her on her transportation method for the day.

"He sabotaged all the club making factories of the manufacturers.", he replied, "It's going to be a while before they get back on line."

"Great!", Kim growled in frustration as she went out the door.

Like auto parts, she just didn't understand this fascination with chasing some stupid little white ball all over the countryside. Still, she had a job to do. Wade had gotten them a ride with a military plane going to Scotland, the last place Killigan was spotted, so it was going to be a long trip. As they rode out the bumps and turbulence, Kim became quiet and withdrawn, deep in thought. She was bummed out about the whole government offer thing, and to feel better, she decided to talk it out with Ron. Jos lounged close beside them, oblivious in her absorption with the new Kimmunicator that Kim had just given her.

"Ron?"

"Yeah. K.P."

"I want to ask you something."

She told him about the government offer and how she didn't have the money for it.

"I kind of wish I could take that offer, but..."

Ron nodded thoughtfully, "Yeah, but you would have to charge for your help to do it."

"Right, and you know how I feel about that."

"So are you still considering doing it then?"

"Geez.", she said with an embarrassed look, "Not really. I just wish I felt better about it."

He smiled easily and replied, "Look K.P. You know I always felt it was okay to rake in the mad moolah for what you do. It's only fair as far as I'm concerned. But I also understand your conviction that you feel that you are helping people who are in need, not taking advantage of their misfortune. I was looking at it like a business, but that's not where you're coming from. To you it's public service. I get that."

She nodded back, "That's right, Ron."

"So what's your ish? I back that position now one hundred percent. You did the right thing then, and you're doing the right thing now. We're not in it for the money, and that's the way it should be."

"Even if it means forgoing the opportunity to help even more people with this government offer?"

He smirked at her, "And since when can't Wade get us everything we need? It's cool, K.P. We're doing fine. We don't need any government help to do our jobs."

She looked at him, noting his confidence in that statement, and smiled. Then she leaned in and kissed him.

"Thanks."

"For what? You weren't going to do it anyway."

"I know. But it felt really good hearing it from you, too."

Ron chuckled, "Anytime, GF. But I was wondering, what brought that on? Was it your Dad?"

She grimaced as she replied, "Yeah."

"Don't worry, Kim. Things will get better. Hasn't your mother started building her new practice at Middleton Medical Center?""

She sighed, "It takes time for that to become profitable, just like anything else. We're not going to see any help from it for a while, or so I hear."

Ron scooted over closer and took her into his arms, "No big. So things'll be kind of tight for a little while. You guys'll do fine. You always do."

"Yeah, I know. Okay, so Christmas is going to be kind of lean, but that's no big. It was just that I was thinking that if I took that government offer, there might be a job in it for Dad, too."

Ron looked at her, a little surprised, "Really?"

"Well, I don't know. It was just a thought."

"Not a bad one, Kim.", Ron said rubbing his chin, "Not bad at all."

He gave her a kiss back, bringing a smile to her lips.

"Thanks, I do feel better about it now.", she said, "How much longer before we get to Scotland?"

"Uh, I think we got about four hours."

"Good. I'm going to catch a nap then. Wake me when we get there?"

"Got it covered, K.P."

She kissed him again and then went to the back of the plane to stretch out on a cot there. Ron sat there, thinking to himself about their discussion. He pulled out his Kimmunicator and beeped Wade.

"Yeah, Ron?", asked Wade.

"Wade, do me a favor and patch me through to my Dad, okay?"

In no time, Ron was talking to his father about an idea he just had. Jos as usual was still off in her own world, playing a video game on her new Kimmunicator.

* * *

Wade's intelligence had revealed that Killigan always had the island castle which was his main residence, but that he had other properties as well. There was another castle he owned on the Scottish mainland which was where he was holding all the stolen clubs. This was an older edifice, but larger than his main keep. As they approached it, the pilots alerted Ron and he woke Kim up. The plane went into stealth mode and the VTOL craft managed to land nearby and unseen. Quickly disembarking, the three teens advanced through a wintry landscape of dead brush and scattered snow drifts as the plane took off again. They reached the edge of the grounds to the castle and hid in a grove of bare trees and watched. There was a steady line of trucks coming and going from a side entrance, and Kim remarked how painfully obvious it was that this was where the stolen golf clubs were going. He wasn't even trying to hide what he was doing. They sneaked up to the outer walls of the castle and soon gained entry through a nearby side window that was hidden from view of the door. Inside, they saw forklifts and men working a huge number of boxes of golf clubs in a very large warehouse-like area, not unlike the warehouse in Russia, but much bigger. They hid behind some of the boxes on a ledge about twelve feet above the main floor and watched. The entire area was filled with multiple levels of storage ledges filled with the boxes.

"Well, this is a no-brainer", she said in irritation to the others, "What the heck was Killigan thinking? He's smart enough to know this wouldn't work."

"Hmmm, you just can't tell about super villains.", Ron replied, "You know, one man's treasure is another man's trash and all that."

"Whatever.", Kim muttered in annoyance as she watched the activity intently.

"What are we going to do with all these boxes, Kim?", asked Jos, "You've got enough here to fill Yellowstone Park!"

"Fortunately, we won't have to worry about that.", Kim said as she finally spotted what she was searching for, "Look! There's Killigan! Okay, both of you know the drill. Follow my lead and let's take them down."

"Right. K.P.", they both said.

Killigan had rounded a corner looking at the work being done and directing traffic.

Kim stepped out and somersaulted down to the floor directly in front of him. Ron and Jos landed right behind her.

"Okay, Killigan!", she shouted, "Drop the clubs! This has got to be the lamest plan you've come up with yet! Whatever it is, it is sooo not going to work!"

The Scot looked at her in surprise, then grinned.

"Well, lassie! I see ye managed to sneak in unnoticed. But what makes ye think I'm going to just give up me plan for these wonderful clubs?"

"How about the fact that I'm about to drive you onto the nearest golf course without a cart? Eighteenth hole, of course!"

"Oh, brave talk, lassie!", sneered Killigan, "but I think I'll take me chances. Ye wanted me to drop the clubs? That I'll do! Boys!"

Kim let out a small gasp then as she looked up. The forklifts nearest her had elevated their loads all the way. Now they dropped them right at her. But she was prepared, nimbly jumping out of the way onto the next higher storage level. Jos also bounded clear of the falling boxes as Ron ran and slid by a forklift, away from a load of nine irons spilling out behind him.

"Get her!", cried Killigan, who immediately unloaded his ever present golf bag, drawing out a two wood. He grabbed some of his rigged golf balls and dropped them on the floor, firing them continuously off at her even as she easily avoided them. Killigan's henchmen began to attack Jos, but she evaded them without any trouble and counterattacked back, knocking them one by one out of the fight. Ron continued to be the distraction as usual, drawing a good number of Killigan's men out of Kim's way.

More of Killigan's men filed into the large warehouse room now that the alarm had been sounded, joining the melee, but Killigan's golf balls were creating quite a mess with golf clubs being scattered all over the floor, acting more as hindrance than a help. The girls were keeping up, dispatching henchmen as fast as they came in. Ron kept running around and prevented them from getting too inundated all at once, and Kim was glad she could hear him screaming. That way she always knew where he was and how he was doing.

Evading one more golf ball explosion, Kim landed back on the floor underneath a shelf full of boxes of golf clubs. Killigan was right there, where she faced him down, ready to fight.

"Don't ye think ye have to get a tee time at that course first, lassie?", cried Killigan. He threw a small box at her and ran. The box missed, sailing well above Kim.

"Better stick to golfing, Killigan.", Kim cried, laughing, "You'll never make in Cricket!"

"That's what yooo think, lassie!", Killigan cried as he stopped about thirty yards from her.

The box hit the top ledge of the shelf she was under and split open. A hundred or so small wooden pegs showered out of it.

She looked up and said to herself, "Golf tees? What is this?"

Too late to realize the trap, the golf tees fell all over her. Everywhere they touched, she was stunned by an electric shock.

"How do ye like me neuronal destabilizer golf tees, then?", Killigan roared in glee, "Do ye think they'll shock the competition?"

Kim found herself completely paralyzed, unable to move, her muscles not responding to her brain signals. She knew she had to get out of there fast, but the only thing she could do then was think, "Shock? What is it with villains and their 'shocking' puns?"

The Scot fired off two more of his golf balls, exploding under the struts of the shelf and blasting them away. The burst boxes on them showered golf clubs by the hundreds on Kim, half-burying her underneath. Grunting, she struggled to get up, but could only flail helplessly as she was too discoordinated from the neuronal destabilizers. Ron yelled when he saw her go down.

"Kim!", he yelled, "I'm coming!".

He stopped running from a henchman and jumped straight up into the air. Spinning around, he back kicked the goon into a stack of boxes, then turned and ran for Kim. When Jos heard Ron, she turned and saw her cousin's situation, and then rushed as fast as she could to help. But she was too far away.

Killigan laughed with wild abandon, "Now, I've got ye!"

He dropped another golf ball on the floor and drove it straight toward Kim. Her eyes went wide, because there was no way she would escape this one.


	11. Chapter 11

**Intralogue**

The reporter kept busy, scribbling away in her notebook, getting all the details down. When she caught up, she looked back at Kim and said, "Okay, so you were caught in the mansion with Killigan's henchmen and unable to fight. Jos was too inexperienced to deal with all of them, and Ron..."

"Was being Ron.", she finished, smiling a little cryptically, "Or so I thought at the time."

"Yes.", said the reporter, "But tell me, didn't you have any idea what Mr. Stoppable was going to do? Was there no clue?"

Kim slowly shook her head, "Oh no, not a single one. I didn't understand why at the time. It was only later that I saw it had to be that way."

"Could you explain?"

She smiled and replied, "It's a little complicated. What I can tell you first off is that I'm really lucky Ron was there. I would have never made it out of there without him."


	12. Chapter 12

Ron saw Killigan swinging at the golf ball at the same time he realized Kim could do nothing about it, and neither could Jos. Nothing and nobody else could stop Kim from being blown to bits, except him. He hesitated a split second, remembering how he had promised Sensei not to let her know what he was capable of doing until it was time...

'No!', he thought, 'She could really get hurt! Jos isn't experienced enough yet to handle all of these goons!'

He didn't think about it any more because the decision suddenly clicked in his mind and he acted.

He shouted at Jos to help Kim. Jos reacted immediately. As she sped to her cousin's aid, Ron made a spectacular double somersault, landing in the middle of the fight just as Killigan delivered his stroke. The golf ball flew straight at Kim just as Ron landed in front of her, and he whirled and wheel kicked the ball in midair off to one side where it exploded harmlessly.

Kim gasped. She had never seen him make that kind of move before. But what scared her more was that he had now put himself in the way of far too much danger just to protect her.

" _Ron! Get out of there_!", she cried, struggling even harder to get out of tangled metal shafts embedding her.

Ron didn't answer, standing there eyeing the henchmen carefully, making no move...

Angry at the block of his shot, Killigan yelled, "Get him! The buffoon is no match for ye!"

Kim screamed again as they charged him.

The fifty or so henchmen that were left descended en mass on Ron. Jos had reached Kim by now and was quickly disentangling her from the golf clubs and boxes surrounding her. Kim was fighting frantically to recover as quickly as she could, but still was too dis-coordinated, her muscles still not responding to her brain correctly.

"Quick, Jos!", she croaked, "I've got to help Ron! They're about to crush him!"

"But you can barely move!" cried Jos, scrambling as fast as she could to clear the debris and pick her cousin up.

"I can do it!", Kim grunted, "I can do anything, including this! Ron needs me!"

But she couldn't. Her muscles still wouldn't respond and she flailed her limbs uselessly around trying to move. She could only look on helplessly as Killigan's men closed in on Ron. But as they watched, both girls began to gape wide-eyed at the fight that unraveled before their eyes.

At first, Ron simply postured and screamed like he usually did before he ran off as a distraction, flashing his fake monkey kung fu moves at the huge human monsters angrily closing in on him.

Only this time, he didn't run. He stood there as the first henchman came up grinning, seeing an easy target.

"Okay, shrimp!", he said gruffly, "This is where I clean your clock!"

"Really?", Ron responded testily, looking like a mouse caught in a trap, "You mean I went through all that for nothing?"

The henchman just laughed, "You really are a loser, aren't you?"

Ron just smiled then. The henchman swung a huge haymaker at Ron 's head. Kim's face went white because Ron still didn't move, then she blinked when he disappeared...

At least he seemed to disappear. He ducked the henchman, rose back up, and cold cocked him dead in his tracks, the man flailing with the blow and falling flat on his back with a loud thud.

Kim's eyes went wide with shock, mouth agape.

So were Killligan's. Staring, he yelled again, "All of ye! Get him!"

Every henchman charged him like mack trucks, trying to run him down. Ron smoothly sidestepped the first one as the goon threw a wild right cross, then whirled with a wheel kick and took him in the back of the head, flattening him to the floor. He kept turning in the same direction and back kicked the one right after him, sending him soaring into the two others coming in behind. Three more advanced from the sides and punched at him simultaneously. He smoothly blocked two, and in so doing moved out of the way of the third. Three swift kicks, front, back, and side finished the job, laying them down cold.

The henchmen tried to surround him then, intending to overwhelm him from all directions. Ron slowly assumed a tiger stance, something he had learned from Nana, awaiting his moment, and found it. When one henchman came too close, he sprang at him unexpectedly, moving so fast that no one caught it at first. Stunning the man with a side kick he grabbed his outstretched arm, palm strike to his nose rendering him compliant once it broke and bled profusely, and twisted the arm up behind the man's back, making him groan with pain as Ron held him there, his other arm around his neck. Now he used him as a shield against half of his attackers as he slowly turned him in a circle to keep them off guard. That meant only three of them could charge Ron directly without having to go through his shield.

Three of them did. Ron jumped up and while using his human shield as a balance he whirled around in mid air and executed three swift round house kicks, taking them out of the fight. A fourth henchman yelled and leaped at Ron in an all or nothing maneuver, but at the last minute Ron released his prisoner and ducked. The henchman flying through the air only hit his companion, knocking them both to the ground, after which Ron moved back in and put them both down with two quick side kicks. He relaxed back into a standard monkey kung fu defensive stance and waited. The remaining henchmen closed in and attacked again.

To Killigan's shock, and everyone else for that matter, Ron moved his defense up another notch, moving in a blur, as fluidly as water and faster than their eyes could follow. He held his position and took on every henchman that came at him, slamming each and every one away from him unconscious or unable to fight. Killigan was really angry now, screaming and firing golf balls as fast as he could, this time at Ron. But he easily avoided them, allowing them to land among Killigan's henchmen, blowing them up and out of the action. At one point, he slapped one golf ball back at Killigan which exploded close enough to the villain to temporarily stun him, preventing any more golf balls from coming back in his direction.

Frozen in place, Kim could only look on with an uncomprehending stare as he swiftly and skillfully dispatched all fifty of Killigan's men in a little over ten minutes, and then walloped the Scotsman with two of his own golf clubs, wrapping them around his limbs and tying him up like a trussed calf in a rodeo. Jos's mouth hung wide open in shock and would have caught flies if they were around.

And then, it was over.

Kim was stunned. Ron's monkey kung fu skills were better than she had ever seen them... ... far, far better... ...and she had never, ever seen him move like that. All she could do was look at him goggle-eyed as he finished off Killigan, then came over to help get her loose from the clubs and boxes.

His eyes showed only concern for her as he said, "Are you alright, K.P?"

She stared, mumbling, "What did──! How did──! I can't believe what──! Ron!?"

Ron blinked, and it dawned on him what he finally had done. This was it. This was the Prophecy telling him it was time.

He saw he was stuck. He had no choice but to tell her... ...and he could sense he had to be very, very careful about how much he told her. He couldn't tell her everything. He fretted momentarily, looking around but finally faced her with a worried look.

Sighing deeply, he said, "I'm... ...sorry, Kim. Sensei told me not to say or do anything until the time was right. I didn't know what he meant then, but he said I would know the right time, and that the decision would be made for me. I guess... ...well, I guess this is the time."

Kim gawked at him, "Time for what? What are you talking about?"

He grimaced in embarrassment.

"I wasn't supposed to say anything yet, Kim. But there was no other way to take Killigan down and get you out of this safely. I did what had to be done."

"But! But! How?", she sputtered.

"Uh, Japan?"

She let out a gasp, "This is what you couldn't tell me?"

"Well, yeah."

"And you waited until now? Why? I don't understand!"

Her legs almost collapsed from beneath her in shock, blown away by this revelation, her face still agape and wide-eyed. Ron gently took hold of her arms.

"Kim.", he said solemnly, "Look, I want to explain. You know I love helping you out on the missions."

Rufus stuck his head out and said with a frown, "Hey!"

He smiled briefly at that, rolling his eyes as he continued, "Okay, we both love helping you out on the missions. But I know and you know you've always been the real force behind the Possible-Stoppable team. It was always you who got the job done."

It took her a minute to recover her voice, to get over the surprise, but when she did, she started to argue the point, "Uh, Ron, that's not completely true..."

He gently cut her off, "Yes it is. Rufus and I did support you and helped out in an important way, I agree. But it's still true. And I was okay with that. The Possible-Stoppable team worked. I was okay with being the sidekick and backing you up and all, when I could. But even you have to admit I had to be saved... ...frequently."

Still blinking her eyes in disbelief, she winced, seeing his point. Taking a deep breath, she got hold of herself again and answered him.

"I'm, I'm sorry I said it that way.", she said softly, "But you're being too hard on yourself. You know I really can't save the world without you."

He said, "I know you feel that way, and I'm really happy you do. But I also know that if you really had to, you could do it alone."

Her eyes betrayed pain when she answered, "Maybe. But it wouldn't be the same."

He smiled, thankful.

"You're right." he said, "It wouldn't. But you really can do anything, you know."

Her mouth thinned out in an offset smirk as she tried to smile back, but she couldn't reply.

He went on, "You see, it was after the prom, after I kissed you. I realized I wasn't right with being just the sidekick anymore. That's when Sensei contacted me again with his, you know, spirit form thingy. He could sense that I was ready for what he called the next step. He said I was ready for the power of the Lotus Blade which would help me master my mystical monkey power, and to do that I had to come back to Japan for a week. He did this thing, a ritual, where he initiated me formally into the school as a real student, and the Lotus Blade somehow gave me more of the mystical monkey power."

Her eyes widened again, "They gave you more power? They didn't take it back?"

Ron smiled, "I'm sorry, Kim. I had to let you keep that assumption. Sensei made me promise."

"Oh... ...Uh, it's okay, Ron.", she said, still unsure, "I think I understand."

"Thanks.", he replied, "Anyway, I'm still not sure what all it did, however it did allow me to be able to use the power when I wanted. I can call on it willingly now. But more importantly, all I learned there made me start to think about a lot of things I hadn't thought about before. It opened my eyes, Kim, really opened them. It was way, way big. I started my training there, and he sent me back to train with, well, a great friend of Sensei's, and a master of kung fu like him, under whom I've been training ever since."

She frowned slightly as she asked, "At home? In Middleton?"

"Well, not in Middleton, exactly."

Then she gasped, "Yori's there?"

Immediately, she started feeling jealous, and she started to think that maybe Yori was out to get him after all.

"No, no, Kim! Not Yori! Think! Who else do you know is a master of kung-fu?"

She stared aghast at him for a second, before her jaw dropped all the way open.

"Nooooo! Not Monkey Fist?"

He looked at her, stone faced, "You are kidding? Aren't you? He's not even a Yamanuchi graduate!"

"Then where, Ron? Who?"

"Uh, Florida."

Her look was stunned into shock again when it hit her.

"Nana?"

"Of course!", he replied grinning, "Who else? Even you can't beat her! She still gets you two out of three every time you see her! Right?"

Her eyes narrowed again, realization coming over her face, "So that's why you been seeing her so much!"

"Well, she really is teaching me cooking, and we do really try out some different recipes for Bueno Nacho."

She looked numbly at him, astounded at what she was hearing.

She finally said, "I don't know what to say, Ron. This is just so... ...incredible."

He reached down and took her hands, looking deep into her eyes.

"Kim.", he said, still serious, "I don't want to be the buffoon anymore. I didn't care that I was that, as long as I was there to help. It was true though that I was, well, buffoonish."

"Hey.", she replied tenderly, "It was never that bad."

"Yeah, it was.", he rebutted softly, "I never liked it, but I wasn't ready, emotionally or physically, to do anything about it. Now, I think I am. I truly, truly want to be your backup now, actually more than your backup. I want to be your equal partner in 'Kim-Possible-dot-com, I can do anything'. I know you really can do anything. I just want to be there and be able to do just about anything, okay? This way, I really will have your back. I'll do whatever it takes to succeed. You've got my word on it. Consider it... ...an early Christmas present."

Kim gasped when she finally put it all together.

'Oh my gosh!', she thought, 'He wasn't trying to hide it from me! There was nothing wrong with him or me that was a problem! It was the promise he made! And he kept that promise!'

She looked at him, hardly recognizing this boy as the tears welled up in her eyes. The Ron she knew would have boasted about this to everyone, making sure everyone knew what he had accomplished. He would be bragging about how he was taking out bad guys and leading missions. He didn't do any of that. He simply did it. Ron was truly trying to step up to the plate. She could feel a veil lift from her heart as she marveled in awe at his generosity. There was no fear there anymore, no hesitancy.

In that moment. she was astounded she hadn't really seen the depth of his emotion before this. She knew how much he loved being a part of the team, how he admired her skills. She remembered that he knew she would always support him even when he screwed up because he could also contribute to the team in other ways to make it work, and she never forgot that he really was a factor to its success. So yes, it had been true. She was always the primary force behind Kim-Possible-dot-com.

But now! Now he could do so much more. He had taken that crucial next step, that oh so difficult step, to be a truly equal partner, to actually be able to fight side by side with her if necessary. And he saved her! How did he do that? The combat was natural to Kim, almost like breathing. But it wasn't that way for Ron. It took a lot more effort for him to achieve the same skills. She thought back to what Jos had said over a year earlier at the ranch in Montana, how it was harder for Ron because he had to overcome his fears, his limitations. Then she wondered what courage it took for him to go through this, and how much more it took for him to give her this... ...this oh so awesome gift. Yes, he kept his promise to Sensei, and gave her this incredible blessing...

'What made him finally be able to do it?', she thought in sheer wonder, "and for how long?"

"Wait a minute.", she said, "The synthodrones at Drakken's lair. You took them out, didn't you? That's why they didn't show up."

He smiled sheepishly at her, "Uh, yeah. I did."

"How many?"

"Err, thirty-two, I think."

Kim gasped again in shock. Jos gaped in disbelief, quietly listening close by.

"That many!" she whispered.

He nodded slowly.

"And the other missions?"

"Uh, when you and Jos weren't looking."

"Cambodia?"

"Yeah, I actually took out the five ninjas.", he said with a shrug, "No big."

She looked at Jos.

"I guess so, Kim.", she said, "Four of them were knocked out when I got there. The one I took down must have woke back up."

She turned back to Ron, "And you were actually fighting Monkey Fist and the ninjas, not distracting?"

He nodded again as she turned pale with the full realization of his accomplishment.

"Oh my gosh, Ron! You actually did it! You... ...you can do anything?...and you couldn't tell me?"

He held her hands in his and smiled as he answered calmly.

"Kim, I had to keep the promise. I didn't understand why, and I'm still not completely sure actually. But I think Sensei was right when he made me do it. Once we, you know, understood each other at Halloween, I kind of thought I could tell you then. I wasn't sure. I... ...I was just content to be there and help. I still am, really. That's all I want."

She kept searching his eyes, trying to find the source of this incredible spirit she never knew he had, still completely numb, her hands now coming up and hiding her mouth so he couldn't see she was still gaping at him. Where did this come from? That was something she would have never expected the old 'Ron' to ever do, never in a million years! Was he really doing this? Giving her the best of both worlds? A capable partner who was content to follow her lead, to be able to do everything she did? To truly be a partner to Kim Possible, world famous teen hero?...

Before she knew she did it, Kim launched herself and embraced him, kissing him passionately. Surprised, Ron stood there wide-eyed for a couple of seconds before he responded, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in tight.

When she could no longer maintain the kiss, she pulled back breathless and said between gulps of air, "Oh Ron! This! This is the most wonderful Christmas present anyone has ever, ever given me! Thank you! Thank you!"

Then she kissed him again, and this time he kissed her back just as passionately, relieved he didn't have to hide anything anymore. When she finally let go again, they were both breathless and laughing with joy. He held her hands, smiling, and said as they laughed, "Well, we still have presents to exchange back home, you know."

She giggled giddily, "You can't top this!"

He chuckled, looking around to make sure Jos wasn't in earshot. She was off helping to round up some more of the henchman just then. When Kim first kissed him, her cousin decided she should shy away in another direction and give them some privacy.

"We'll see.", he said, still chuckling, "Anyway, K.P., I had to do something. One 'buffoon' at a time on the team is about all we can stand."

They both started laughing even louder then, thinking about all of Jos's antics. He really could relate. Her cousin continued to have that same "loose focus" that he had usually exhibited in the past, about which he knew he was going to have to talk to her.

"She's gotten better, Ron.", she said then, smiling happily.

"Yeah, I know. And faster than I did."

"Well, she is a girl.", she replied with a coy look.

He snorted, "Yeah. I guess that's it.", and they both laughed again.

The laughter finally sating them, there was a pause as they stood there, her arms around his neck, their eyes gazing at each other. He looked into her eyes, and he couldn't recall ever seeing them shine as brightly as they did just then.

"I'm glad, Kim. I hope you understood why I had to do this, to wait to tell you until the time was right."

She smiled at him, replying, "It's okay, Ron. I...Actually, I don't understand either why you had to wait, but it doesn't matter. I do understand you had to keep your promise to Sensei, and I respect that completely. But I am so happy now! You really have given me the best Christmas present I could hope for!" and then she kissed him again, slow and tender.

Ron relished the feel of her lips on his, even as he saw she didn't understand his explanation. He could see she thought he had done it only because of his promise to Sensei. But it wasn't important then to dwell on it. He simply smiled again at her when they pulled back from each other.

"Ready to head home?", he said, and she nodded serenely as she disengaged her arms from his neck.

Ron walked off to find Jos and collect their gear to go home. As he did, Kim gazed at him, and realized he looked so completely different to her now. She was starting to see him through new eyes. Could it be then? Could he really be a full partner? But what about her! Wasn't she was going to retire? And now he steps up to the plate? How is that going to work?

She pushed those thoughts out of her head. She didn't want to think about it then. She was too full of wonder, thrilled at what Ron had done. Her BF had saved the day! No, no bad thoughts. She just simply enjoyed the moment.

* * *

The police came and hauled away Killigan and his henchmen in several trucks, followed by a long line of semi's to load up the stolen golf clubs and deliver them back to their rightful owners. The Scot himself was put into one special van as he was the ringleader. Once inside, he sat down in a huff on the side bench as the back door slammed shut.

"Drat it all!", he exclaimed, "I still cannae stand the hurt of that lassie! But the buffoon! Ach! That was a surprise!"

"Have no worries, Killigan. It all went down as I had planned.", answered Drakken, smiling very evilly now as he removed his police cap, exposing the fact he was disguised as the driver of the police van. Beside him, Shego also took her cap off showing he was among friends, though the grin on her face was more evil, or something, Drakken thought incidentally.

He continued, "I told you she would come. And as I had said, she would defeat you and your minions, although that last mistake of hers was almost too much of a bonus for us. You did well when you used your weapons and lackeys just as I told you to force the buffoon into action... ...you saw the evidence yourselves. The buffoon seems to have improved his game a bit. I had intended other measures to neutralize him, but as you saw on the surveillance cameras, he's gotten even better. I am certain he has somehow controlled his mystical monkey thingee, whatever it is. Anyway, as I said before, we had to assess his abilities in order to destroy him. Now you can see now why more drastic measures are required."

"Precisely.", said the guard in the back with Killigan, who promptly removed his police disguise to reveal his hair covered hands and feet.

"Initially I thought he was just getting luckier at using the mystical monkey power, but now I can see that somehow he has communed to the second stage of mastery.", said Monkey Fist, "This must be stopped at all costs!"

"Hmmmmm...:", growled Drakken, "It's a shame we didn't defeat him this time, though. Your fifty henchmen should have been able to do the job, Killigan."

"It's nae me fault! How was I to knoo he could do all that?"

"No matter.", Drakken grumbled, "I halfway suspected they still wouldn't be enough."

"All the more reason to destroy him in all due haste!", said Monkey Fist angrily.

"Patience, my friends, patience.", replied Drakken, "The time will come, and soon."

"Okay, Drakken!", said Killigan gruffly as Monkey Fist let him out of his cuffs, "I've let ye use me house for your grand game. The Fates know I had nae real use for those clubs. What's the plan?"

"Oh, I can see the plan, Killigan, and I agree with the good doctor.", injected Monkey Fist luridly, "The key is the buffoon. From what I have seen tonight, I know now that I am the only one who can destroy him, before he gets stronger."

"Correct!", replied Drakken confidently, "I've finished my assessment. We can see now that henchmen aren't sufficient for this. All preparations for our next meeting are now done. The next time we meet with Ron Stoppable, you must destroy him!"

The monkey master grinned malevolently as the prospect and laughed softly.

"Aye!"added Killigan, "I'm with the gibbering monkey on this one, too!"

"Good. I'm glad you agree.", replied Monkey Fist, ignoring the barb, "There is no choice. It is either the buffoon or me. And I intend it to be me! But as to the other plan, understand me well, the Tempus Simia Idol is my idea and it is only right that I have the honor to activate it."

"As do I, Monkey Fist, as do I.", said Drakken, placating him, "And when the sidekick is gone..."

"And why should we let ye have it all?", interrupted Killigan, "We're in this together, ye know!"

"No! It is my plan. I should be the one!"

"And I tell ye, it shall nae be!"

"Silence!", ordered Drakken, and they obeyed.

"Normally, I would agree with you. I do like not to share, either. But in this case, we don't have a choice."

Actually he would not have shared in any case, but he realized he had a higher purpose in this scheme, and he would take care of his 'allies' later, thereby negating any 'sharing'.

"Besides.", he added, "We must keep our eyes on the real prize here. Gaining the power of time travel means nothing, if we cannot destroy the team of Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable!"

"Aye!", said Killigan in agreement, then he stared at Drakken in surprise.

"Ach! You remembered his name!"

"Then remember the plan, my friends!", said Drakken, grinning back at him, "We must break up the team! Divide and conquer, I say!"

"Agreed!", replied Killigan, grinning sharply, followed by a puzzled look on his face, "But, why not use the power of the idol to go back in time and destroy the buffoon that way? Or even the lassie herself?"

Dr. Drakken looked at Killigan blandly, "I have thought of that possibility, however, let's say that I have had a vision that plan will not work without destroying both them and us here in the present."

"Ach, you've had those dreams, too, have ye?"

Shego said laughing, "Really, Killigan, you're scared of a dream? What about you, Lord Fiske?"

Drakken and Killigan stared at Monkey Fist, who now looked a little embarrassed that he also had the dreams.

"Yes...", grated Drakken, "So it appears we all have had the same dreams."

"Yes, I admit it. And I will admit as well I think we should heed them." replied a mildly contrite Monkey Fist, "I know first hand they have power."

"Normally, I would pooh-pooh it all as mystical nonsense.", said Drakken, "But in this case, I will defer to your recommendation."

Killigan didn't say anything, but simply nodded in agreement.

Shego looked at them all and asked, "But what dreams?"

They all turned and gazed at her. Drakken realized now she hadn't had them at all, and wondered why. 'She has changed, for sure!', he thought, not for the first time. But then he was glad she didn't have the dreams, or at least didn't remember them. Then she wouldn't get any funny ideas about using the idol herself.

"Never mind, Shego.", Drakken replied, "Gentlemen, it is not important. We will use the idol to go back in time and take over the world. But to succeed, we must destroy the team here and now!"

Monkey Fist had a leer of pure joy, "Yessss, soon we shall have the idol! And when I face the buffoon with this!"

He pulled out the Lotus Blade, shining in his grasp once more.

"I shall destroy him and become supreme Monkey Master!"

"And I shall finally get the chance to destroy Kim Possible!", cried Drakken.

"And I, the world's greatest and most dangerous golfer!", crooned Killigan.

"And then, my friends.", Drakken said evilly, even as he had no intention of letting it happen, "We shall rule the world together"

Consumed in the emotion of their scheming, they all laughed malevolently.

Drakken smiled at Shego, who definitely had a leer of pure evil on her face now.

He said to her, "Soon, we shall settle our differences with Kim Possible."

* * *

After the Killigan golf club mission, Ron couldn't have been happier. Kim was no longer distant at all, actually showing a newfound interest in him that did not have any of that dismissive quality she used to have. That was the difference, that newfound respect. He was sure that she saw him as being more mature and responsible. Now Kim would often come up to him in school and hold on to his arm as they walked to class, and when nobody, especially Mr. Barkin, was watching, she would steal him away into a closet or some other hidden nook and kiss him, relishing the closeness more than she ever had before. It seemed he could almost do nothing wrong in her eyes now, except that every now and then when he was having fun with her or some of their buds, she would still look at him with that "child-like wonder" look, like when Felix and he would have one of those 'I can eat more than you' food guzzling contests in the cafeteria. As usual, she would watch and smirk. Then 'the look' would come when he exclaimed 'Buya' if he won, or even when he pouted if he lost. But the difference was that she now gave him that look with amusement and not annoyance. And every now and then he would still procrastinate about doing something and she would give him a pat on the back and tell him to go on and do it, but in a voice that was confident he would do it, and not in a harshing way as if she wasn't sure he ever could. He reveled in the change of attitude towards him, happily telling Nana how much better things were.

But something held him back. Somehow, Kim could sense that. She could see the change in his personality. It didn't daunt her new found enthusiasm in their relationship, but it did keep their mutual optimism a little cautious. For her part, Nana was very pleased for them both. Like Ron, she was concerned Kim had not fully seen the reason he had to wait to tell her about his progress with the mystical monkey power. She said nothing about it though, confident her granddaughter would eventually come to understand. More important now, She knew Ron had not yet revealed how he truly felt about her. The reason became clear during one of his training visits to Florida...

It had been a good training session. At the end of the day, Ron sat in Nana's Kitchen munching on her special pound cake as she complimented his performance that afternoon. Still, she could see he remained subdued. After a time, she asked why.

Ron looked up at her, his face passive, then looked away without answering.

"What is wrong, Ron?"

He didn't answer.

"Is there something wrong between you and Kimberly?"

He looked back at her in mild surprise, "Huh? Oh, no. Things are great. We've never been better. She's really come around with accepting what I can do―..."

"Then you should tell her everything, explain it all. She'll understand it all now. Both Sensei and I are sure the prophecy will be safe―..."

"No!", said Ron, cutting her off.

Nana looked at him in dismay, stunned into silence.

After a time she asked, "Why?"

Ron closed his eyes and sighed heavily. Then he opened them and looked hard at his sifu.

"I can't, Nana. I can't... ...not if I won't live long enough."

"You don't know that!"

"Yes, I do!", he countered, "You know the visions that Sensei showed me. I'm sure you know. Something big is coming. I have to face Monkey Fist. You know I'm probably not going to make it. I won't do that to her. I won't rip her heart out again... ...not after what 'Eric' did to her."

"But, Ronald―"

She didn't get to finish. Ron abruptly got up and put his coat again and walked out of her house. She didn't follow, hearing him start up the scooter and drive away.

But back home, Ron was so glad that he no longer had to hide anything about Japan, freely discussing what had happened there, as well as some of the visions he had and his training, something that fascinated Kim. But he did not share the one vision which bothered him the most. He steeled himself to that, not telling her how he truly felt. Kim occasionally griped that she wished he had told her his secret earlier. He didn't argue the point, and just avoided that discussion as best he could. He only stressed that the important thing was that they had crossed that critical threshold where they no longer had to hold back from each other, which contented her well enough.

Now there were certain other things he hadn't told her, though. Nothing was actually preventing him from doing that. He was just waiting until Christmas to surprise her. Kim didn't know it, but he really was going to try and top his 'early' Christmas gift at Killigan's lair, and he hoped very hard that what he was planning would do it. Three days after the Killigan adventure and following numerous phone calls, he finally felt confident enough to move onto the next step of his Christmas plan. He went over to Middleton Medical Center and stopped by Dr. Possible's office, knowing this was her day to see office patients, and he hoped this would be a good time to do it. He made an appointment to get a block of time to talk instead of just dropping in. He knew her schedule was always full, being as busy as she was trying to see the patients throughout the day. Arriving early, he sat in the waiting room, reading a magazine until the receptionist addressed him...

"Mr. Stoppable? Dr. Possible will see you now."

He smiled his thanks and went through the clinic door when she buzzed him through. He had been here before, so he knew exactly where her office was and went directly to the back of the clinic. He found the office empty, and guessed she hadn't finished with her previous patient yet, so he sat down in one of the chairs opposite her desk. As he waited, he looked around and noted the pictures of the Possible family on the wall. There were the individual shots of course, but also four family photos of them all together. One was with Kim at age three, another when she was seven, with the tweebs as toddlers. A third was when she was thirteen and the tweebs were about nine, and there was one just recently taken. Kim was all dressed up for Junior Prom, looking really beautiful for that one. On the wall behind her desk was Dr. Possible's diplomas. She had her college sheepskin next to her medical school diploma, surrounded by several other framed documents. There was her certificate of general surgery residency and then one for her neurosurgery fellowship. Also on the wall was her state license certificate as well as her board certifications, all suitably framed in rich woods. Surrounding these were several awards of appreciation for her services to the hospital and the community. Then he looked at her desk which was a bit messy with several stacks of papers, patient charts, a dictaphone machine ('She still uses that?', he wondered.), and several knickknacks, including a well framed picture of Mr. Dr. P. He picked it up and looked at it, noting that he was impeccably dressed in a tuxedo and smiling hugely into the camera. He set that down and picked up the one next to it, which he hadn't immediately seen as it was facing away from him. But when he looked at it, he gasped.

It was a wedding photo of Kim's parents, one he hadn't seen before. The shot was posed with a more youthful couple than he presently knew, and they were looking joyfully into the camera. Mr. Dr. P had no grey in his hair at the time, dressed in fact in the same black tuxedo as the other picture. Mrs. Dr. P's hair was just as long as Kim's was now, all the way down to the small of her back. She was dressed in a very traditional egg-white off the shoulder gown with lace and a pearled bodice, a sheer veil pulled back behind her hair. Ron marveled that it looked so much like it was actually Kim standing there instead of her mother, but with blue eyes. They really did look so much alike. His mind kept whirling with thoughts of that, not noticing Kim's mother had stepped through the doorway.

"You like that picture, Ron?", said Dr. Possible, smiling as she walked in.

Startled, he looked up a little wide eyed and then hastily positioned the photo back on her desk.

"Oh, yeah, Mrs. Dr. P! Great shot. I was just, uh, admiring Mr. Dr. P's tuxedo. You know, I need to get one of those. It won't be too long before senior prom, you know."

"And Kim has made it clear you are not to wear what you wore last time, if I'm not mistaken.", she replied, smirking.

"Oh, yeah! Riiight! Well, she's got it going in that department, you know. She's right about that style going out of fashion years ago."

"I'd say decades myself.", she said with a clear grin as she sat down behind her desk..

"Well, Dad never actually wore it you know, not even to his own wedding."

"And that didn't give you a clue as to why you shouldn't have?"

"Errr.", he said red faced,"That's, uh, why I kind leave those decisions to Kim now."

"Smart move.", she answered with a knowing smile, "But something tells me that's not why you were looking at it."

Ron's face got even rosier, "Ehh, well, you know."

She laughed.

"Relax, Ron! I know how you feel about Kim."

"Uh, you do?"

"Of course! It's written on your face every time you look at her. Everyone can see it, except Kim herself."

Uh, what do you mean?", he asked worriedly.

"I know you adore her, Ron, ", she said happily, "But don't worry, I'm not telling her anything. You should do that, you know."

Ron made a face, ut was relieved, "Uh, yeah... ...Gee, I didn't know it was that obvious."

"It's okay, Ron. And I couldn't be happier for you both, especially since you came back from the last mission. But what happened? I've never seen her so upbeat! She's going on and on about you all of a sudden, as if she never met you until three days ago. Whatever you did, you rocked her world."

Ron pretended he was in the dark and grinned as he replied, "Well, I guess I was able to give her something she was looking for."

"I'll say!", Dr. Possible said, "She won't stop talking about how you practically saved the mission singlehanded. It's like Ron did this and Ron did that, and on and on."

Ron smiled and half-laughed, looking down at the carpet, embarrassed.

"You know, Dr. P,", he replied after a few moments, "I hope to be able to continue to do that for her."

She nodded soberly and smiled, "I sure you will, Ron. But is that why you're here today?"

This was his chance. He looked at her steadily as he started his proposal.

"In a way, Dr. P. On the plane trip over to that last mission, Kim was real worried about her dad and the fact he lost his job, and you know, she was saying how there were some money problems."

She frowned, "I don't want you to worry about that, Ron. You're like family, so I don't mind that she talked to you about that, but you really shouldn't concern yourself with it. We'll do fine."

"I have no doubt, Dr. P. Kim told me you were developing a larger, private practice that might bring in more income."

"That's true, Ron. And it is coming along. These things do take time to develop. I really hate having to sacrifice family time to do it, but that's what has to be done."

"Yeah, I understand.", he said.

He took a deep breath, then said, "Look, the reason I'm here today is that I want to help. I think there's a way I might be able to solve this problem."

Dr. Possible sat there for several seconds with knitted eyebrows, staring at him, wondering what he was talking about.

"I don't understand, Ron. How could you possible help me or my husband out in this?"

His lips thinned out as he steeled himself, then he said, "Let me explain, okay?"

For the next fifteen minutes he detailed his plan to her. And the more he went into it, the wider her eyes got. When he finished, she gawked at him, astonished.

"Ronald, "she said softly after a space, "I had no idea. This is all really true?"

"I swear it, Dr. P. My Dad will back me up on the whole story."

"Oh, my. So, are you sure this is all in order and prepared?"

"I've already talked to Dad, and he's made the arrangements. I've already contacted everyone I need to make this work, and they've all said yes except for you, Mr. Dr. P, and Kim."

"And if I say yes, when do you plan to ask Kim?""

"Christmas, when we exchange gifts."

"And my husband?"

"That's where the gift comes in."

"Ahhhhhh!", she said, nodding and smiling, "Pretty good, Ron. Pretty good. If you didn't knock her off her feet this last time, you definitely will this time. And I don't think you will have to worry about her father either."

"Great! So will you do it? It's a win-win situation either way, whether or not you get the practice to succeed. And I think I can guarantee you won't have to sacrifice any family time this way."

"Only because you were generous enough to give it. Thank you, Ron.", she said appreciatively, getting up and walking around to the front of the her desk "Now, just let me talk to your father. I think this is doable, and it could solve a lot of problems all around."

Ron smiled widely as he got up, "That's great, Mrs. Dr. P! I'll let him know you'll be calling."

They shook hands, and then Dr. Possible paused a moment, smiling a little wider as she reached out and embraced him in a big hug, which he returned affectionately.

"I can't tell you how grateful I feel that Kim is lucky enough to have you for a friend."

"Thanks, Mrs. Dr. P, but really, I'm the one that's lucky to have her for a friend."

She chuckled as she let him go, "I'll let you know how things are after I phone your dad, okay?"

"You bet!", he said with a grin as he went out the door.


	13. Chapter 13

**Intralogue**

The reporter continued to jot data excitedly into her notebook. These were details she had not even suspected before.

"So that's about when the Possible Team was born.", she mused out loud, "You know it's been hard getting Mr. Stoppable to give us an interview on all this."

"Actually it's Team Possible. Yeah, I know. Ever since Adrena Lynn, he's really been a little gun shy with the press, especially if the story had anything to do with him. Not that it stopped him on occasion."

She frowned in irritation recalling the class president election campaign which Prince Wally won.

"This is great stuff.", said the reporter, "And he even convinced you to go with the theme song after all."

"Uh.", she said wincing, "not my favorite thing, but we had to do PR somehow."

"Will you tell me how that started then? I bet this really helped you out on the missions. Now you weren't so dependent on getting rides from your friends all over the world."

"Yes, we were more independent, but they still are our friends. We like to have them give us rides just to keep in touch, and they are a great source of information. But this way, we had instant access anywhere in the world in case they weren't available."

"And along with your friends, I understand your intelligence is superb."

"That's something I can't talk about. Security issues, you know."

"Oh, right.", the reporter replied, "Okay, I'll move on. Now in my previous notes you mentioned that what Mr. Stoppable revealed to you at Killigan's castle was a very pleasant shock."

Kim snorted and laughed, "Now that's an understatement if ever I heard one."

"Errr, yes.", replied the reporter, "But I guess what he did at Christmas was an even bigger surprise.

She became very quiet and nodded slowly, whispering, "Oh my gosh, I could not believe what he did for the longest time, but, it definitely was. What he did at Killigan's castle taught me what kind of companion and partner he could be. But Christmas was when I learned what kind of man Ron Stoppable really was. And it was the following April when I learned exactly what kind of hero he would be."


	14. Chapter 14

It was Christmas day, and as per tradition, the Possible family had gathered to celebrate. Jos had flown home to spend Christmas with her dad, and she had already exchanged gifts with them all before she left. So it would be only the immediate family and Ron this year, and although it was a relatively meager one, there was no less joy when the presents were handed out. All the years they grew up together, Kim always gave Ron a Christmas present, and though he was Jewish, he always gave her one too. His family celebrated Channukah at temple and at home, but he always made time to be with Kim when her family opened their presents. This year she had thought long and hard about what to give him, more so than in the past. She was thrilled with the recent revelation of his new skills. He might not be 'all that', in her mind, but there was no question of the new found respect Kim had for her boyfriend now. Because of that, she really wanted this Christmas to be special. It was just that it was also such bad timing it had to be when she was forced to stay on a tighter budget. One thing she knew she wasn't going to do was ask her parents to help. She had to earn more money, and even though she was now involved in much more important missions than she was as a freshman, she substantially increased the number of baby-sitting jobs in order to make the extra cash she needed.

Remarkably, she found the perfect gift, but still didn't have enough money. But it didn't matter. She had to have it for him. Going through her closet, she pulled out two of the best winter coats she had and took them down to a used clothes store. Despite being more than a week old and out of fashion, at least for a teenager like her, she still got a good price, and with that she had the funds she needed. She kept it hidden beneath her bed until Christmas Day, and when they gathered around the tree after Christmas dinner to begin giving out presents, she was ready and eager. When it came to start, Ron hesitated, not wanting to give his 'present' to her first, so Kim did. She went up to her room and came back down with it, smiling beatifically as she presented him a small, but beautifully wrapped box. He took it from her gently, reverently handling it, seeing how she had taken special pains to wrap it. Carefully, he opened it and found a small jewelry case in it, like the ones used to give rings, and his breath caught for a moment as he lifted up the lid.

Inside was a miniature, but exquisite Star of David inset with little diamonds. He held it up and admired it in the light of the den, her parents smiling and commenting on how beautiful it was as he showed it to them.

Her face shining with joy at his reaction, she said, "I know you've been spending more time at the synagogue, and I think your maturity has really shown on you. I wanted to get you something that really was meaningful, something really personal from me to you."

It was true. He had been more active at the synagogue, often involving himself in deep discussions with Rabbi Katz about a lot of subjects he had never thought would interest him before last year, even learning Talmud with him. The rabbi was very pleased with his new interest in his heritage. Looking at the star, he was awed. He knew this was not an inexpensive purchase.

"Oh, Kim, you shouldn't have,", he said softly with concern, "Not with the money thing and all."

'It's okay, Ron,", she said, smiling, "I was able to pull it off, and I had to do this. It wasn't right any other way."

She could see the great pleasure in his face as he looked at her and then back at the Star. He put the box down and placed the gift over his head and around his neck.

"Thank you, Kim. This is the best Christmas gift you've ever given me.", and he hugged her tenderly, which she returned in kind.

He looked down at the star on his chest again, then turned his eyes back up at her and said, "You know, I really thought hard about what to give you. I know your family has had a tough time these last six months with your dad being out of work and all. I really wanted to give you something truly special this year. And I figured out that the way to do that was not to give you something special, but to give someone else something special, which in turn will be a really special gift for you."

Kim frowned slightly through her smile, a puzzled look coming over her.

She said, "Ron, you're not making sense."

"Bear with me, K.P. I think you'll like this."

"Well, okay.", she said, then added slyly, "As long as it isn't Bueno Nacho bonus bucks again."

He rolled his eyes, "You're never going to let me forget that, are you?"

"Not a chance, BF!", she said with a chuckle, "So, who is this person other than me you want to give something?"

"Your dad."

She smiled appreciatively, but Ron could see she still had no idea what he doing.

"Well, that's great.", she said, "I don't mind at all. But how does giving my dad something special mean giving me something special more than just giving it to me?"

"Well.", he started.

"I know you already sort of gave me something at Killigan's.", she said, smiling even wider.

Kim's parents began looking at the two of them strangely, wondering just what exactly did Ron give their little girl, far away in Scotland, without them around.

Picking up on their alarm, she went on, "Uh, you've already given me the greatest Christmas gift ever. That new method for taking out the bad guys? I mean I just love it and all, but, you know..."

Her parents relaxed. So did Kim and Ron.

She had talked too much and simply said, "Okay, whomever you want to give a present to is just great with me. But you don't have to give me anymore than you already have."

Ron replied, "Thanks, but believe me. This will work out. Now, I beg to differ. I hope this will be the best Christmas gift I give to you this year, maybe any year."

She stared at him silently, perplexed.

"Uh, even better than what you gave me at Killigan's?"

He smiled impishly and said, "Yep."

She thought, 'Oh my gosh, what has he done now?'

Dr. Possible piped up and said, "Well, that's very nice, Ron, But what is it you want to give me that's so special?"

"A job."

Kim's father looked at him with a blank stare.

"A job?"

Kim also looked at him suspiciously.

"A job? What kind of job?", she asked.

Smiling even wider, Ron replied cryptically, "Oh, just a job as a rocket scientist at a top notch research facility with a good salary and all the equipment and funds you need, where you can invent to your heart's content."

Raising one eyebrow, and still looking confused, she asked, "You're kidding, right?"

A little surprised at her hesitance, he looked at her innocently and said in all seriousness, "No, Kim. I'm not."

Her confusion changed to looking outright aghast. Ron backed up slightly, taken off guard by her reaction.

"Ron, this is _so_ not funny!"

"I'm!... ...I'm not kidding, Kim!"

She became angry, saying, "Okay, answer me this! One, what job do you have that you can possibly give him? Two, exactly what would his job description be? Three, from what company? Four, with what money are you going to pay him? And Five, How?"

Stone faced, he blinked, his manner unfazed.

"One.", he replied calmly, "I myself. Yes, me, myself, and I, have a job to give him, actually one of many. Two, Chief Rocket Scientist for the new government agency of Super Secret Special Operations or something or other, which really needs a new name by the way. Three, not a company, but the US government under special funding from Bueno Nacho Incorporated."

"Bueno Nacho!", she cried out, exasperated, "Ron! What are you talking about? This doesn't make any sense!..."

"Let me finish, KP.", he interrupted, "Four, from the funds donated by Bueno Nacho Incorporated to set up this special government agency to fight crime and help people. And five, because as president and majority owner of Bueno Nacho, I ordered it done."

He stopped talking and everyone in the room froze and stared at him, including the tweebs. Kim's mother had a knowing smile but stayed silent. The quiet was deafening.

" _You own Bueno Nacho_?", she practically screeched at him.

"Yes, I do."

"This is your restaurant venture? How──?"

Her voice squeaked to silence, becoming almost catatonic.

"Well." he started pensively, "When we took Drakken down after the diablo thing, the company almost went bankrupt from the fallout. You know, the lawsuits, the clean-up, the fines, the scandals and all that. The company was in a real mess. My dad pointed out to me the company was in real trouble from an actuarial standpoint, and that someone needed to bail them out. So, you remember my naco royalties? They kept accumulating. But I learned my lesson and didn't touch the money. No, sirree! My dad handled all of that. So after I came back from Japan this last time, I asked Dad about my buying the company, and he thought it was a great idea. I took the money and bought the controlling interest in it. It was dirt cheap, too. Since then, I've been building it back up to the way it used to be. Hey! It makes a difference when you buy at twenty cents a share and it comes back to over sixty bucks!"

Kim gaped at him with more shock in her face than he had ever seen.

"But I thought you weren't getting much money from your royalties!"

"Uh, no, I told you I wasn't getting any of the money. My dad was handling it for me."

She was dumbfounded. Then her face fell, aggravation twisting her features.

"Ohhhhhh, nooo!", she moaned loudly, "You're really are rich again? Oh, Ron! You're not going to do that, are you? It was so annoying the last time, what with the peeps, the bling, the groupies, Bonnie!"

"Uh, not this time.", he answered very quietly, with confidence.

"Oh, really?" , she said, clearly in angry disbelief.

He looked her straight in the eye,"I'll prove it. Look at me. What do you see that's different?"

Kim stared hard at Ron for a minute, then scanned the room. She looked all around him, even checking his back, then stomped over to the front door and looked outside for some time before closing it and coming back and facing him down.

"No bling?"

"No bling."

"No peeps?"

"No peeps."

"No finger candy?"

"Not a stone anywhere."

"No cash in your pockets?"

"Not a dime.", and he turned his pockets out to prove it, dumping Rufus on the coffee table with a complaining squeak, muttering, "Hey!"

"No gold plated limousine outside waiting for you?"

"Absolutely so not there!"

"No transportation at all?"

"Uh, well, yeah. My dad let me buy a real motorcycle."

"Huh! No Bonnie?"

"Definitely! No Bonnie!"

She looked hard at him.

"You're serious? You've been so great lately! You haven't let this go to your head?"

Ron took a deep breath and sighed.

He replied to her in all seriousness, "Kim, the naco royalties have been coming in for more than a year. My dad was so mad after what I did with the first royalty check, he made me give it all to him, and he invested it for me. After the diablo mission, I couldn't let Bueno Nacho just go down the tubes like that. So I suggested we buy the company with the money I had, and he thought that was a good opportunity for me to learn the business. With the company devalued to less than one percent of it's original value, it was a steal. Everybody thought the company was a goner and unsalvageable, except my Dad. He's been really great showing me what to do with it. You know being an actuary's not too far from being an accountant, and in fact he had a minor in that in college."

For the second time in two months, Kim was stunned almost speechless, paralyzed as she tried to understand it all.

"And you're actually are interested in accounting?"

"Yeah. Strange, isn't it?"

"But I thought you didn't like financial planning?"

"How was I supposed to know I would like it before I actually tried it?"

Still staring and almost tongue tied, she asked him in a small and timid voice, "Okay. So, just how much money do you have?"

"Well.", he said, scratching his head, "Let's see. The naco continued to sell well even after the first royalty check came through, although it slowed down some. Also as you know, they could never make a go of it in Go City. Can't figure it."

"How much, Ron?"

"I still get a nickel for every naco sold."

"How much, Ron?"

"In actual worth or what I can liquidate?"

"Ron!"

"Uh. Let's just say, I can give the Señor Seniors a serious run for their money... ...so to speak."

Kim's eyes went wide.

"The far side of billionaire?", she said breathlessly.

"Well, yeah, Kim."

Her jaw dropped like a stone for ten full seconds before she could talk again.

When she did speak, she softly said, "So. You're now president?"

"President and majority owner, K.P."

"Okay. President and majority owner of Bueno Nacho?"

"Yes! That's what I'm trying to tell you!"

She shook her head in dismayed wonder.

"Oh my gosh. No wonder naco night came back!"

"Buya!" he said, and Rufus echoed that sentiment.

"I knew something was up when I didn't have to pay for your nacos anymore!"

He continued, "Yeah, I get them free now! Look, the company is really doing well and I have all the money I need. More than enough. When you told me about the government offering you that position, and that you didn't have the money, and of course I knew things were tough with your dad not having a job. I just thought I could help. So I called the government up and offered the funding for the agency."

The shock hit her now as she understood how the gift to her father became a gift for her as well. He was giving her what she wished for on the plane. Her head was spinning. Was this real?

"But, who is heading the operation? Who is in charge?"

He just grinned excitedly, "That's the neat thing! You are, Kim! You're the Chief Operative and Agency boss. I've already talked to Wade and he has accepted the position as Head of Security, Intelligence, and Counterintelligence. Boy, is he going to have fun with all the new gear we're getting him! And your mother has accepted the position of Chief Medical Officer!"

She looked at her mother, wide-eyed, and she just smiled back at her. Then she remembered how cheerful her mother had been for the last couple of weeks. That must have been when he told her. When she had asked her mother why she was so happy, Dr. Possible just said everything would be okay.

"So that's the new job offer you told me about!", she exclaimed.

"I told you things would be fine, dear.", her mother replied, grinning widely.

Ever since the Eric debacle, Kim's mother had been so worried about the relationship between Ron and Kim. Now, her look was one of sublime satisfaction. Her thoughts centered on the fact she had wanted this relationship for her daughter. She always had full faith that Ron would come through for her, and he had.

"You planned on giving everyone in my family jobs?", Kim asked in exasperation, turning back to him.

"Well, not at first.", Ron answered, "It just sort of worked out as the best solution."

"But what about you?"

"Oh, I'm Special Agent in Charge of, uh, Financing. And Deputy Chief Operative or something. And, well, anything else you may need. Oh, and your grandmother is in charge of Agent Training."

When Ron had revealed his abilities in Scotland, she had never been so stunned in her life, so awed, but this! This was Ron? This was the self-absorbed childish somewhat incompetent, frequently irritating, even dweebish, but always faithful, lovable, dedicated best friend who could make her laugh and had always been there for her? Oh, yeah, he had been more mature lately, able to step up and be a true partner as a crime fighter, as long as he didn't try to do things on his own. She dreaded the first time the press got wind of his abilities and then it would be a race to see how much he would preen before the cameras, maybe demonstrating a few moves or something like that. That would be annoying, but what worried her more was if he suddenly went off on his own like he did in Scotland. Of course, what he did in Scotland was the right thing to do. But would he follow her lead? Or would he want to command a mission. She remembered his words from Camp Wannaweep such a long time ago...

_"So, on the next mission, I call the shots?_

_"Er...We'll see."_

_"Oh, come on! I know what that means."_

_"It means we'll see."_

_"Yeah, that's code for "not a chance"."_

_"Actually, it's code for "ferociously unlikely"."_

_"Oh, man!"_

Suddenly feeling unsure and timid, she said, "Ron. I am so, so blown away right now. You don't know how..."

"Kim, everyone else is on board already, and I assume your dad will."

Dr. Possible smiled back at Ron and gave him a thumbs up saying, "You betcha!"

He went on excitedly, "The headquarters is spanking! It's an old military base I bought really cheap just outside Middleton that's been converted especially for this purpose. And now its ours! There are plans for all the transportation vehicles and other equipment. It's already being worked on. The only thing holding it up is you saying 'yes'!"

She saw it again just then, just how different Ron looked to her. His eyes showed so much excitement, so much energy. But that was what was different about it. It was all for her, and realized it was the same in Scotland. There was nothing of advantage for him in it. He was giving, and thinking all of this, just for her.

Only for her...

The only return he was looking for was her being happy. For so long when Kim had looked at Ron before, she had always seen the boy who was a little too self absorbed, even though he was her best friend. For the first time in her life, she truly looked at Ron as a man. And for the first time since the end of their junior year, Eric didn't enter her mind at all.

"Oh, my God.", she whispered, her hand covering her mouth.

This had nothing to do with his promise to Sensei. This was because of what he felt for her, for her only.

She started crying large tears that ran down her face in small rivulets to the floor. But her eyes told the story, shining with a blissful joy Ron hoped would never ever leave them.

"And I thought you couldn't top the last present!", she cried, "But this so blows it out of the water!"

"So this is yes?"

She smiled wider through the tears and nodded, "Yes!"

"Buya!", And he grabbed her in another hug and swung her around the room as she laughed. Then he put her down and looked at her, satisfied to see that joy in her eyes where before there had been so much sadness. He kept his arms around her as he looked deeply into those green emeralds again, gathering her to him as she encircled his neck with her own arms.

"Merry Christmas, Kimberly Ann.", he said softly.

"Merry Christmas, Ronald."

And then she kissed him deeply and passionately, and she didn't even mind it was in front of the whole family.

Even the tweebs were weirded out.

* * *

After she kissed him, Kim looked intently at Ron, her arms still around his neck, her forehead touching his, a gleam in her eye.

"Oh my gosh, Ron! I just cannot believe this! I've got to tell Monique! This is so spanking!"

Ron chuckled, "I'm glad you like it, Kim. Just tell me what you need and I'll see it gets done."

"You mean like spend billions of dollars just to make sure my dad got a job? You are so the 'child-like wonder' right now, you know, but in a good way!"

He laughed, "Well, not quite that much, but at least it's good for something, huh?"

"Totally!", she gushed, laughing with him, then a thought struck her and she got a certain look in her eyes.

"Uh, does this mean I can get that cool roboplane back?", she asked.

He snickered loudly, "Anything you want! You only have to ask."

"Okaaay! And hey, didn't you say your dad let you have a real motorcycle?"

"Yeah."

"Wanna go for a ride?", she proposed to him sultrily, her eyes still glistening.

* * *

Later, when the government helicopter came to pick Kim and her dad up to go check out the new base of operations and get things into gear, they went out to board the copter as Ron lingered behind to clear up a couple of details with Mrs. Dr. P about her new position. After that business was settled, she subtly changed the subject.

"If I didn't know better I wouldn't be able to say this, but you made a decision tonight about my daughter."

He looked out the doorway at the waiting helicopter as Kim and Dr. Possible boarded it, and then looked down at the ground.

"Actually, Dr. P., I made that decision last summer."

"Really?"

She paused a bit, then asked, "When did you realize you loved her?"

This worried him, but he just smiled to himself, then looked up at her before he answered, "I really knew for sure the minute I kissed her at the prom last April. It just took me a little side trip to Japan to fully understand it."

Dr. Possible smiled, too. She just loved it when she was right.

He said, "I know she cares for me, too, Dr. P. But, she's so busy now. There's so much to do in her life. I don't want to add to that. I know she can't make any commitments more than she already has now."

"Don't worry, Ron. I have a feeling things will work out."

"You think so, Dr. P?"

"I'm sure of it. Just be yourself. You'll be fine."

Ron knew better, though...

His face scrunched up, "Please, you can't tell her. You can't. You got to let me do that."

"I understand, Ron."

He smiled again, "Thanks, Dr. P. I really appreciate it."

He would leave it to Dr. P to tell Kim he loved her later... ...after he was gone.

She smiled back and waved goodbye as he went out to the helicopter and got on board, and the team flew off to inspect their new accommodations.

* * *

Over the spring semester, Kim and Ron got ready for graduation. They had both been accepted to Middleton College, which seemed to double their work load. She had managed to score a scholarship with her good academic scores, but his grades of course were not quite so stellar. Still, he was able to squeak in, and Kim was proud of him as he had done it by hard work, substantially raising his GPA enough this year to make it. And of course, he didn't have to worry about tuition. They had planned on taking as many of their classes together as they could, even though there weren't all that many they had in common. He was going for business administration and a subsequent MBA. Kim's decision was a little more troubling to her. She had signed up for a criminal justice degree, because her intention was that she had decided that her hobby/business would now be her profession as well, but now she wasn't so sure. However, remembering her grandmother's advice, she stayed with it for the time being.

Both of them grew closer over the months leading up to graduation. For Kim, it was the biggest change she had ever undergone in her relationship with Ron. All her life, she had been so used to being the sensible one, the one who was the "steady rock". He was always the one with the childish behavior, doing exactly what he wanted even when it was irresponsible or foolish. She forgave him those failings because she adored her friend who was more devoted to her than anyone else she knew. And so she always made sure he was okay, that he didn't come to harm, that he didn't get too weird on her.

But now.. ...he was completely different. When and where did this new, incredible Ron Stoppable come from? First he soothes her soul, able to say the right words to make her feel better, revealing a soul and a mind far deeper than she ever suspected was there before, then he loses the Ronness!... or at least controls it. He becomes a true partner, capable of helping her save the world, maybe as good as she does?.. ...then, then he gives her the financial means to save the world too? It was insane! He had made the commitment to share that responsibility with her, to truly and willingly bear the burden of her commitment to what she did, and not just tag along as the "sidekick". He had proven it to her in such an so incredible display of responsibility and competence. She no longer could look at him that same way, as something like a wayward child.

Oh, it was true he still would do something crazy like the night when he challenged Felix to the endurance record of Zombie's Revenge, staying up all night before a major math test. She chuckled to herself recalling that he lost that battle, but still did well on the test. Then there was that contest to see who could eat a naco the fastest through a straw with Rufus. Rufus won that one too. But now, his mind was all business when it mattered. On missions, he got the job done. She no longer had to look out for him, and she loved being able to actually count on him, not having to worry that he couldn't do it. Even more, she reveled in the fact she really had confidence in his abilities.

She had no idea how to handle this! Her new found respect for Ron had put her in an uncomfortable position. Suddenly, she could see this was a possible life partner for her. She could now see spending her life with him. How did he feel about it? For all his support, he still wasn't being that open. Was he thinking about the same things? Would he accept her stepping down to an ordinary life, and not saving the world if she chose that? Did he love her?...really, love her?

It was so confusing. He was so close to her, open with her, all the time, but he still was holding something back. She thought that might be true, if he was sensing she was still holding back too...

For his part, Ron was relieved she was so much more comfortable being close to him, especially now that they were again confiding everything to each other again, and they spent as much time together as they could. But even so, he could see she still was a little unsure about herself. He didn't push her. He wanted so much to tell her everything, how he really felt, what he wanted to do with her in his life. He thought that might be the last thing she needed to recover her confidence. But there was no way he was going to have her grieve again for someone she loved like she loved 'Eric'... ...if she did love him like that. He had to wait. He had to be sure. He had to know he would come back to her before he would ever tell her...

Time-wise, there was the graduation itself. As usual, she was in charge of so many committees. She was in charge of prom decorations, again. And, she was now the boss of a new government agency dedicated to fighting crime all over the world. It was a wonder they ever saw each other as much as they did! When they did, it was almost always something to do with Team Possible, which was the new name they came up with. But it was either that getting in the way, or it was just 'high school' stuff. He wished more than ever that she would say 'no' whenever some person or committee would ask her for some favor or task. Yet, he was resigned to the fact that she was who she was, the most giving person he knew. And now, the prom was just around the corner, cutting further into their schedule.

On a brighter note, Team Possible was working out well and they already had completed a few successful assignments. Jos was still being 'Jos', but Ron and Kim both looked out after her on the missions, and she continued to improve. After the initial refit of the base, Wade settled in his new communications center and was having the time of his life. He had a special transport constructed underground that took him back and forth from his room at home, and now he would have two places they could find him, though like before, he would never leave either one if he could help it. And so far, aside from the Team Impossible mission where his computer system got spiked, they still didn't see him in person.

With the expansion of Kim's activities from just Kim Possible-dot-com to Team Possible-dot-gov, there were now occasional missions which required large contingents of personnel to execute them, and this was where the Yamanuchi ninjas came in especially handy. Ron arranged with Sensei to have graduates of the Yamanuchi school come in as adjunct operatives for the new organization. The government also contributed additional personnel for the support sections, supplying both of Kim's parents with the staff they needed to run their respective departments. They were able to hand pick the subordinates and organize them into effective units. Of course, their salaries and the funds for operation came through Bueno Nacho Incorporated, and Ron handled the money transfers and accounting, with his dad often assisting, in an efficient and cost effective manner, and it still amazed Kim even after several months of operation that he could do that.

The addition of the ninja operatives gave Kim great experience in learning to command larger bodies of operatives, which was something she already had shown a great talent in doing. In the past, these large tasks were not missions the government called Kim Possible to take on, but with Team Possible this was no longer a problem, and the government was going more and more towards giving her these larger scale operations. Also, with the additional missions, especially the large scale ones, she was appearing on the news far more frequently. There was even a fan club started for her by somebody, which only made her groan with annoyance when she heard about it. Now that she was the leader of a major government crime agency, it was practically required that with her increasing popularity she had to start making some public appearances for "PR" purposes. Her fame was finally starting to catch up to her.

There was one occasion in late April which would always stay in her memory as long as she lived. She was giving a speech to a group of young children about school safety at an elementary school in a Los Angeles suburb, of all places. The principal seemed to think a world famous teen hero would be just the person to give that speech. As usual, she just couldn't say no. But it also gave Ron a chance to meet with the West Coast branch of Bueno Nacho Incorporated, so they were able to take a trip out west together.

It was during that speech that a severe earthquake hit the area and a large crevice appeared right beneath the school and sucked the building down, burying it deep in the ground. The school had unfortunately been built right on the fault line. Though very frightening for the children, to their guests it was "no big". They had been through worse. But when the shaking had settled down, they were the only "adults" that ended up with the kids, as their teacher had been separated from them when she stepped out of the room momentarily just before the earthquake hit. The building was heavily damaged, but they did their best to calm them after Kim had rescued five or six of the boys from falling debris. Being trapped underground, the children remained very afraid as they waited for help to come get them. Kim hadn't taken any of her usual tools of the trade with her for this visit except the Kimmunicator, and it was damaged in the quake. Ron hadn't brought his. Her unit kept cutting in and out, but she finally got Wade on the line and told him everyone was safe for the moment. The device soon sputtered dead again, but not before Wade replied help was on the way. So at least they knew somebody would be coming to get them out.

Ron tried to get a phone working. The kids remained scared and she was doing her best with them, but wasn't having much luck in keeping them occupied. Frustrated, she asked him to help. So he left the phone line panel he was working on and went to the kids, getting them all together in a group. He began to tell them a story and soon had them all settled.

At first, she groaned to herself when he started to talk. She remembered how in the past his Wannaweep stories had bored everyone around him out of their minds. Only Drakken's monotone disasters were worse. But it soon became apparent this was different. She was mystified seeing how the kids were rapt in their attention to him as he spoke. The story itself was a beautiful fairy tale, one she didn't know, and he just kept spinning it out. During the story, there were a some aftershocks and a couple of the kids panicked, shrieking and running. Ron calmly gathered them back again and shushed their fears away, promising them everything would be all right and then going on with the story. Smoothly he gained their trust and they hung on to him feeling very safe and comfortable. Stroking the hair of the two scared ones as they slept in his lap, he continued to spellbind them with his words. She sat quietly by him, wondering, how he could be so good with these kids? It came to her how much like a parent he was being, calming, soothing, protecting...

Then it hit her. His "child-like wonder" was the answer. This childish quality she had so disliked in him, that caused her to stay at arm's distance sometimes, even now as close to him as she was. She had never thought how it could be an advantage. She herself had never been that good with young children. She was okay, good enough to babysit, but not like this. Now she could see how he could do it with ease. She had come to see he was more mature now, truly a grown man in her eyes, but it was also awesome how he could just tap that inner child and become so much like them, able to relate easily and make them feel so safe and secure, almost happy even in circumstances like these, and it totally rocked her mind. He kept his storytelling up for a long time, over a couple of hours it seemed, and still the children were entranced. But by then, even the most ardent of them were getting tired and they became so sleepy they all had to take naps. When the last one was quietly dreaming of better times, she turned to him.

Awestruck, she said, "Ron, that was so, so amazing!"

He smiled back a little sheepishly, "Oh it's no big, K.P."

"You're wrong! It's way big, Ron! But I thought you didn't like kids, especially after the way they overran Bueno Nacho."

"Oh, no, Kim. It wasn't the kids at all. It was just how the diablos were ruining BN."

"But I've never heard you tell a story like that before! It's awesome!."

"Thinking of Wannaweep, huh?"

"Uh, yeah. But really. This was totally different. It was so beautiful!"

"Thanks, though to tell the truth I did have to practice."

"Practice? What do you mean?"

Ron replied, "Well, Bueno Nacho has been involved in some charity work. You know, donations, funds for projects and whatever. Anyway, as president I sometimes would have to go down and present the check or make a small speech or presentation. Just before we started this school year, I went down to the Middleton Orphanage to give them a check to open a new wing and add some more beds.

"As I was making a speech... ...By the way, I'm getting better at that too... ...Anyway, I noticed the kids in the background. There was something about them, a look, that just sort of, uh, spoke to me. After that, I made it a point to go back and talk to them. I found out there are some great kids there. And I really do like kids, K.P. I've been going back and doing some volunteer work there. You know, playing games, videos, whatever. And I would tell a lot of stories, especially bedtime stories to get them to sleep. I wasn't too good at first, but I got better and better."

She was entranced, totally fascinated. How many more surprises was he going to spring on her? And then she couldn't speak because her emotions became completely jumbled. For the first time since the junior prom, she dared to try and trust herself to know how she felt about him, and saw that it was real.

He saw something change in her face. It was subtle, but he could tell it was there, though not what it meant. Before he could ask, a noise rang out above them, and the ground started to shake again. Some of the kids woke up, afraid the ground was about to bury them, but then one side of the room collapsed inward with a roar as the rotating giant drill bit of a ground boring machine had broken through. The kids all screamed and rushed to Ron, holding on for dear life as he shushed them quiet again and told them that everything was all right and they were about to be rescued. Jos herself was piloting the behemoth, with Wade on visual display guiding the way. As soon as the kids saw that, they started to yell excitedly and soon crowded their way towards the giant machine, seeking its shelter. Jos stepped out grinning, opened a side door, and started helping them in. Ron picked up the last child in his arms and turned towards Kim and smiled.

"You ready, K.P?"

Kim smiled back, truly appreciating that image.

"Right behind you, Ron.", she said softly.

Still grinning, Ron turned and walked into the boring machine, Kim following. As he entered, she stopped at the door next to Jos, who looked at her strangely when she noted her cousin's face. There were tears in her eyes, the smile still on her lips.

"You okay, cuz?", she asked.

Her eyes angelic, Kim looked at her and said, "Oh yes, Jos. Everything is absolutely fine."

She went inside and Jos followed, locking the side door before going up front to the driving controls of the boring machine. In less than an hour they managed to evacuate the building and get the kids away to safety.

All the way back, for the second time in her life, Kim could feel her heart doing flip-flops.

* * *

They went back to Middleton High the next day as if there had been no disaster, busy with their lives once more, just the usual drama with school and the cheerleaders, although there was one sitch with Tara and Bonnie that thankfully got resolved positively. And as it happened again, as it always seemed to do before a big dance, when she had way too much to do, Wade would beep her and she would have to say, "What's the sitch?". And it was bad news.

This time, there was a big disturbance in deepest Africa. This one definitely had Monkey Fist written all over it, even more than Cambodia. The place was called the Temple of the Tempus Simia. Almost two years before, they had foiled a triple threat robbery by Drakken, Duff Killigan, and Monkey Fist to steal the Tempus Simia Idol from the Tri-City Museum. She was sure there had to be a connection with that. The two teens both arrived just as the villains were about to remove it from its pedestal. Kim almost got tripped up when she didn't see Shego in time and got blindsided, her nemesis kicking her towards an empty Egyptian sarcophagus. She would have been trapped in it if Ron hadn't been in the way and broke her line of flight into the ancient relic. Afterwards, she was able to get back into the fight with Shego while he distracted the others and they foiled the robbery, although the four villains got away.

At the time she didn't know what the Tempus Simia Idol was, but she took Latin last year with Ron, his misguided idea, and she learned it meant "Time Monkey". It was actually no big, except the weird dream they both had after that in which they traveled all over the time stream to catch Shego, who had taken over the world with the Tempus Simia Idol. The dream was so vivid that she could recall how her brothers looked, all grown up, following Wade as the resistance leader, also very grown up. But more importantly she could remember being inside that Temple of the Tempus Simia. The strange thing was that Ron had dreamed the same exact dream. This was definitely too weird as it wasn't the only time they had dreamed alike. They also had other dreams together as well. For the last few months they each dreamed of finding themselves on a marble floor, inside some sort of huge golden edifice. A golden temple...

Shortly after Wade had beeped them, Kim told him they were ready to go. Since they were not at the base, Wade arranged for a helicopter to go and pick them up at her house. They were mission ready when it arrived, and the helicopter landed out on the front lawn, waiting to take them back to headquarters. Ron had gone out and was putting their equipment into the back bay. Kim stood in the doorway a moment, deep in thought, just watching him.

Her mother came up, having been watching her.

"A penny for your thoughts, dear?"

She turned and looked deeply into her mother's eyes, searching for the wisdom she knew was always there.

"Mom.", she said softly, "I am so blind."

"What do you mean?"

"All this time. Ron has always been Ron. He wasn't a guy. He was just Ron, my best friend. Even with everything he's accomplished recently, I could see he had grown up a lot. God, I am so in awe of what he's done now. I don't know why. Even with all that though, he still wasn't quite a 'guy' to me."

"Yes, dear. So you have told me before. What's different now?"

Kim had a look of angst on her face as she explained.

"When we were trapped in the earthquake, I saw something that was so totally amazing, and I can't believe I still didn't see the whole picture until then. When did he become a guy?"

Her mother laughed a little and said, "I think he's always been 'a guy', honey. What happened to make you see that?"

"Well, you know I never really saw him as 'BF' material."

"Yes, dear. I remember you said that before Junior Prom.", her mother replied, "I was a little surprised you changed your mind then, not that I'm complaining at all, mind you."

"Well, I didn't really, not then." Kim said, "And for a long time, I hadn't. But then I really found out at Halloween what kind of friend he could be, especially as a BF. I thought... ...I could see him as a real partner then, an even better friend than I ever suspected he could be. I could see being his girlfriend then. I thought I wouldn't ever be 'gaga' over him like I was with... ...with Eric. But then I could do a lot worse."

"Quite true, dear. But what's different now?"

Kim's eyes came alive as she looked at her mother.

"It was when he surprised me at Killigan's, able to step up to the plate like he did, and then this... ...all this with the Bueno Nacho thing. I'm so completely blown away, Mom. I never expected this from Ron. Not in my wildest dreams did I think he could be capable of doing this, of doing so much. I never thought he could undo all that 'Ronness'. But now..."

"Yes?"

"Mom, I watched Ron take a room full of scared panicky kids and completely make them feel safe and happy, despite the fact we could have been killed at any time. I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was being so "Ronnish"... ...All the 'Ronness' which I thought was such a bad thing.. ...I saw it then exactly the opposite, as an asset, a positive thing. I kept saying to myself, 'This is how I would like the father of my children to be'."

She turned and looked out the door to where he was working, her eyes sparkling from the tears in them.

"And then I realized, that it was Ron who I wanted to be the father of my children."

Her mother said nothing, just smiling at her.

"Oh God, Mom. I love him. I just then figured out how much I love him."

"Of course, you do, dear. I've known that for some time."

She looked at her, exasperated, "What? You did? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I felt that was something you had to figure out for yourself."

Kim looked at her thoughtfully as she considered that, accepting it finally, then looked apprehensive.

"I have, Mom. I have. But I couldn't admit it to myself. I didn't trust myself to be able to do that after..."

"After Eric?"

She looked into her mother's eyes, seeing she understood.

'Yes.", she whispered, "Ron was right. I shouldn't blame myself for that."

"He trusts you to understand that."

"I know. Mom. And I do understand where he's coming from. I've been beating myself up way too much for something really stupid."

"And has it helped you trust yourself better?"

Kim gazed in wonder at her boyfriend, slowly nodding.

"I think so, Mom. But if I don't, I'm sure Ron will show me the way. But I wish.. ...I wish..."

Her mother frowned a little.

"What is it, dear?"

Kim couldn't tell her...

She loved Ron. How the heck did that happen...? She thought it again. She loved Ron... ...she knew it. But was it enough?...

She had said before she could marry Ron, though privately she really had never really thought it possible, but now?... Now she had absolutely no reservations. She could.. ...she did love him as much as Eric, and marry him? Yes, she could, if he felt the same. She just didn't know how he felt.

Dr. Possible gathered her daughter into arms and hugged her tight, so glad she had seen the truth of her feelings for Ron, but she could see there was still that confidence issue in her daughter as well.

"Mom, does he love me, I mean really love, love me?", Kim asked, "I'm think he does. But he's never actually said it."

"He hasn't said anything?"

"He...", Kim bit her lower lip, "I don't know. I know he feels something. But am I the problem? Does he really not care for me that way after all?"

"Kimmie!", her mother scolded, "Don't say that! If he loves you, I'm sure he'll tell you when the time is right, dear."

"But... ...something isn't right, Mom. He's holding back. Maybe he really doesn't feel that way about me."

Her mother looked out the door at Ron as she hugged her.

"Kimmie, don't worry about it. Things will be fine. Just concentrate on the mission for now."

She pulled back and squinted her eyes at her, "Mom, you're not telling me something."

Dr. Possible looked at her daughter in feigned surprise, "Why Kimberly Ann, I don't know what else there is to tell you!"

She growled, "Mom!"

Her mother laughed, "Really! I would tell you anything that was important. But you don't need to worry. Like I said, everything will come in its own time. Now go on. You have work to do."

This was a small white lie, but she also knew it was Ron who had to tell Kim he loved her, not her mother.

Kim softened up, silent for a moment before saying, "Are you sure?"

Dr. Possible hugged her again, "Honey, your mother knows these things. Believe me."

She relaxed in her mother's embrace, "Okay. Thanks, Mom. You really rock, as always."

"I know, dear. Now be careful."

* * *

Inside the training room of his hidden fortress, Monkey Fist waited impatiently, albeit that his outer demeanor seemed quite calm and collected. His inner feelings however were anything but. Three days he had been kept waiting once he invoked the shrine to answer his call. The constant moaning and chirps of his monkey ninjas had been kept up steadily throughout the time to maintain the proper piety, of course, though little did it help. Finally, he was rewarded as the golden fruit began to shimmer and gleam.

"About time...", he thought maliciously, smiling smugly with thoughts of smashing the face of the Dark Monk with his fists.

The image coalesced into clear view, a calm mien to its features as the monk opened his eyes and spoke, ""Greetings, disciple. It is time to anoint the Ultimate Monkey Master..."

"Will you dispense with this balderdash!", Monkey Fist spat in interruption, "As if there is anyone else you would be talking to in the physical world!"

The Dark Monk lost his smile as he stared emotionless at the English Lord.

"Proprieties should still be kept up.", he replied in grim monotone, "Tradition must be observed or else there is nothing to honor."

"Honor?", quipped Monkey Fist, "Do you honor your agreements? I have done everything you requested, and more! Yet..."

"Silence!", shouted the Monk angrily, "Your insolence is beyond tolerable!"

"You haven't!..."

"I SAID SILENCE!"

Monkey Fist glared at the image and gritted his teeth, but held his tongue further.

After a space, the monk continued, "So... ...You have accomplished all I have required?"

"See for yourself.", replied the monkey master, waving a hand to his left, where the four idols sat, the Lotus Blade set before them.

The Dark Monk gazed at the collection and a slow smile spread on his face.

"Good.", he said, gently nodding, "Good. Now we can assure your ascension as the Ultimate Monkey Master. You must do this exactly as I will detail it to you. You must use the blade to bring him to your hold where your power is strongest. Only there can you use the idols to overcome him."

Monkey Fist grinned evilly, "You can assure me the power of the idols is sufficient to guarantee my victory over the buffoonish fool? Not that I should even need them..."

"Do not underestimate your opponent.", cautioned the monk, "Buffoon he may be, but he has grown in the mystical monkey power."

"Yes, I had noticed.", replied Monkey Fist, losing his smile.

"The power afforded by the idols should be more than adequate.", continued the monk, "But as a reserve, you can call me in if needed to add to it."

"I'll hold you to that.", said Monkey Fist with a smirk. The Dark Monk merely grinned and bowed his head slightly.

"What about Sensei?", asked Monkey Fist.

"He is too weak and feeble to do anything to stop us.", the monk said dismissively. "Yamanuchi has fallen much in the last half century without the Dragon to support it. He cannot succeed and he knows it. It is pure desperation that he supports a candidate of such little quality, doomed to fail."

"Yes...", replied Monkey Fist with a satisfied expression, "Finally, I will have my just reward. And once I have destroyed Stoppable and gained the full unrestricted power of the Lotus Blade, I will return..."

"You will return and handle your 'allies' appropriately.", the Dark Monk said with a wide smile.

Monkey Fist laughed, "Oh, to be sure. With the full potency of the idols and Lotus Blade in my hands, I can destroy that dolt Drakken and his Scottish thug, and defeat his thrall henchwoman. Even she will be no match for me... ...though I might just keep her as my own personal guard, if she proves worthy. And then with the Tempus Simia, I will be Lord over All Time."

"Then all is ready."

'Yes...", replied Monkey Fist, a rapacious leer on his face, full of anticipation, "Yes... ...The trap is set."


	15. Chapter 15

**Intralogue**

Kim sat up in the hospital bed, carefully propping herself up with the pillows behind her due to the occasional belly spasm still hitting her every now and then. Things worked best if she tried to just keep as still as possible. It had been a long interview session, but it had taken that long to tell the whole story in detail, something she hadn't ever done before. Maybe it was the pain, maybe just the condition she as in, but she felt like telling it. It almost felt like she was confessing her soul to the reporter. Her mother had stayed silent, looking up every now and then at her while she talked. She knew how reticent Kim normally was about these things and appeared mildly surprised she was doing this. But she did nothing more than listen while reading her journal, although Kim saw her smile to herself when she recounted important events.

The reporter said, "Was that when you knew you would marry him?"

Kim nodded her head, "Oh yeah...he would be the only one for me."

She smiled as she scribbled some more, "This is great...Did he feel the same way, then?"

"Actually, I found out he knew that he felt that way a long time before I did. I really was blind."

Her mother chuckled as she said that.

"It wasn't that bad, dear."

"Duh!, Mom.", she exclaimed, "Everyone else saw it but me! And it took me forever to figure out how I felt about him."

Her mother just smiled back, "But that's okay, Kim. You did eventually realize it. That's what counts."

"Yeah...", she replied, a little contrite, "yeah...you're right. I shouldn't beat myself up over it."

Dr. Possible rolled her eyes, saying pointedly, "But you still do..."

"Okay, Mom!", Kim said, a little embarrassed, "I get it..."

Her mother just shook her head and chuckled, then went back to her reading. The reporter kept on scribbling.

"So now the relationship was on solid footing and you and Mr. Stoppable could go forward. But then there was the mission at the end of the school year, Uh, what was it, again?..."

"The Tempus Simia Temple."

"Oh yes. That's it. That's when it happened, didn't it? That's when Mr. Stoppable was seriously hurt."

Another belly spasm hit her again, evoking another groan. They were getting tougher to withstand. It started to worry her more than she really would have some internal injuries, and she fervently hoped she really didn't have any. Dreading that surgery may really be necessary, and wondering how long it would take to recover well enough from it, she now started to wish she hadn't talked so much, wishing the reporter would finish things up soon. And she really didn't want to discuss this subject either, feeling the way she was, but...

After the spasm passed, she looked solemnly at the reporter and said, "Those were the scariest two days I ever had in my entire life... ...and the proudest."


	16. Chapter 16

The jets hummed smoothly as Team Possible headed for Africa, their mood edgy and nerves showing a bit from their crews feeling the pressure of the upcoming mission. The main team spent their time in flight checking their gear, re-planning their strategy, and gathering data, organizing and examining the initial intelligence reports and satellite photos that showed there were a large number of henchmen active around the target site. Three insertion teams of Yamanuchi ninjas were on the planes to support the operation for this reason. Once sure of the plans with Ron and Jos, Kim began discussing tactical options with the ninja team leader as Ron downloaded more satellite photos of the temple on his Kimmunicator. Just as she finished with the ninja team leader, Kim's Kimmunicator beeped and Wade came on to get them more up to date on the sitch. Jos stayed busy double checking the gear.

"Apparently,", Wade said, "after you foiled their attempt to steal this artifact from the Tri-City Museum last fall, Drakken's alliance with Monkey Fist and Killigan fell apart. But it seems the three of them have gotten back together again and they stole it when the idol was exhibited in China two weeks ago."

"Just... ...great!", groaned Kim, "That's all I need just before the senior prom. Three of my major foes have banded together! Again! What is it about this Time Monkey Idol? How dangerous is it?"

Wade's brow scrunched up, deep in thought.

"Well,", he mused, "you remember I told you last time that it's rumored to have special mystical monkey powers, just like Ron and Monkey Fist, so judging from the fact we know its name, my bet is time travel."

Ron piped up, "Oooh, that would be so cool!"

Startled by that reaction, Kim stared at him.

"Ron! In the here and now, please?"

Perplexed, he stared back and said, "What? What'd I say?"

She returned that stare, her only answer silence.

'Why was he flaking out?', she mused in irritation.

He pouted.

'Yep', she thought, rolling her eyes at him, 'child-like wonder'.

But Ron got the message and got his serious face on again.

She looked back to the Kimmunicator, "Okay, Wade. Mystical Monkey Power. Like Ron and Monkey Fist?"

"That's definitely the connection in my book."

"Well, they didn't get away with it then. We've got to make sure they don't get away with it now."

Then Ron chimed in abruptly, "You said it K.P! But that time travel might be useful."

She glared at him again, harder.

Backing down, he grinned in a kidding way, "Hey! I was just saying! I know better than to use it."

She continued to glare at him, but had to soften her look. After all, he was just being himself.

She said, shaking her head, "You know, Ron. It's true everyone should still have some contact with their inner child to some degree. It's just that with you, it's a matter of keeping it from getting to the third degree."

"I thought you liked my inner child, now.", he said, pouting again.

"When he behaves!", she replied, finally breaking a smile.

"Moving on, guys.", Wade replied, interrupting, "Drakken and company recovered the head of the idol in Australia. Apparently, they need to go through some ceremony in the Tempus Simia Temple to activate the idol's power. They have to connect the head to the body of the idol at exactly noon. If they succeed, they could easily use the time stream to take over the world."

And that brought Kim back to something both she and Ron had been wondering about lately...

'Just like in our dream.', Kim thought, her mood darkened again.

"Wade.", she said, "You know that nightmare I told you about? The one Ron and I both had about this stupid statue? How does that fit in all this?"

"That's difficult to figure.", he replied, "But my best guess is that it is an alternate time line that you and Ron actually lived. Somehow it was disrupted, probably by the destruction of the Tempus Simia Idol itself."

"Alternate time line?", she asked with a frown, "What are you talking about?"

Wade took a deep breath, and launched into the explanation.

"You are dealing with an artifact that produces time travel. Just having that power allows you to change history, usually disastrously I should add. Therefore it may have already happened, and there are these alternate 'time lines', or alternate histories if that explains it better. In your case, you had a dream in which the idol figures prominently, and it was no ordinary dream. Both of you had the same one. If you had done any time traveling, you would have remembered this as history..."

"Time traveling?,", exclaimed Kim, "I've never done any such thing!"

"That you know of, Kim.", Wade said ominously, 'That you know of..."

Kim frowned at that very troublesome thought.

"Anyway,", Wade continued, ", the destruction of the idol nullified that time line, therefore you never actually really lived it. But it still is out there in the time stream, disrupted along some other flow of time now. You can't remember it as history, but somehow it has come back to you as a dream. I just haven't precisely figured out how yet."

"Okaaaay.", Kim replied, completely in the dark, and not liking it, "This is so not what I wanted to hear."

"Why not?", Ron piped in again innocently, "If the idol was destroyed in the future, how can it still exist now? Wouldn't it be destroyed for all time?"

"Not necessarily.", Wade answered, "It could still exist in the real future time line, the one you are in now. It was only destroyed in that other time line, and possibly others."

"Others?", asked Kim, "How many are there?"

"Theoretically the number could be infinite, Kim."

"So it still exists, then?"

"Maybe...", Wade hedged.

Kim's jaw dropped, "Maybe? What do you mean maybe?"

"Well, sometimes, an event in one time line can affect all the other time lines, especially if a time travel object is involved. However, I've checked this out, and I'm sure that this time line we are in now is the original one, unaffected by the Tempus Simia Idol,

Kim reeled from this, saying, "What does this all mean, then?"

"If your dream is really a disrupted time line, we have to make sure the idol was destroyed in it, or you may end up having to go through all that again."

"How?"

"If it's still existing in that time line, it would still be active, and soon you would be contacted by that 'Rufus three thousand' character again. As long as it exists in that time line, Shego is still destined to control the world in the future until the Time Monkey is destroyed."

Totally confused, Ron rubbed his head, "Oh! Major brain pain!"

"Tell me about it.", Kim added in a frustrated monotone, "But what about now, Wade? Things are already different now than what I dreamt. How can this be?"

"It's difficult to explain, but events would mold themselves to be whatever the controller of the Time Monkey wants them to be, in this case, Shego."

Irritated, Kim blurted, "I so hate this! Okay! About the time monkey idol, I can't remember that part of the dream well enough to know if it was destroyed. How about you, Ron?"

"Uh, no. That part is really hazy for me."

Wade replied, "You probably don't remember well because of the disruption of temporal energies surrounding the actual moment the idol was destroyed."

"But doesn't that prove the idol was destroyed?"

"Well, not completely..."

"This is nuts, Wade!", Kim griped.

"I know, I know. But I also know a way to make sure. I have been doing some consulting for a research firm exploring time travel. They haven't been able to perfect it, but they have succeeded in creating a device that can view certain future events."

Frowning again, Kim said, "I'm not sure I like that idea."

Ron jumped in again, "That's Cool! We could see what the future looks like!"

Irritated again, she berated him, "Ron! This is no time... ...uh, I don't think it's a good idea!"

Wade cut in and said, "It's all right, Kim. I can tap into their computers and activate the Time Viewer. We only need to look at future time lines that have been disrupted, ones that won't become history in this one."

Kim glared even harder at Ron, making her displeasure clear, as Wade began furiously typing away.

Ron shrank back down before her and said, "Okay, okay, KP! I see your point. You're right. But it's so cool, you know!"

"Yeah, it would be if it wasn't probably going to hurt you! Trying to find out what your future holds sounds like a sure way to screw it up. Don't you think?"

He looked sheepishly at her, a little embarrassed, before replying contritely, "Yeah, yeah, you're right. Thanks for keeping me real."

Sure now he was seeing reason, she relaxed and replied deadpan, "No big. You may be a multi-billionaire monkey kung fu hotshot now, but I'll still keep an eye out on your inner child."

A flat affect on his face, he eyed her suspiciously for a few moments before saying, "Uh, you're just mocking me now, aren't you?"

She kept staring at him trying to look like she was still mad before she finally lost it, breaking into a smile and laughing. He rolled his eyes and smirked back at her. Jos came up and asked him a question about some of her gear and he turned his attention to helping her. Kim kept gazing at him, seeing his concentration and alertness on her need, the way he gave so freely, and again suddenly feeling that surge of happiness go through her heart. Yeah, he was irritating sometimes, but she still felt so lucky he was there to back her up...

Still he hadn't shown or said anything that told her he returned her feelings for him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, something told her she shouldn't feel like this, should be more sure and trusting...

She shook her head briefly, shutting those thoughts down.

Wade cut back in, "Okay, Kim! I'm in! Let me try and sort through all these disrupted time lines. There it is. Let me put it on the screen."

Hearing this, Ron turned his attention back to the Kimmunicator screen with Kim as it flashed and an image of Middleton High appeared. The school campus was familiar, but it was clear there were a lot of changes and improvements to the buildings. They saw a lot of strange looking cars, and some of these were flying cars . There was definitely a futuristic feel to the place.

"Uh, Wade.", she asked, not sure of this, "Are you sure you have the right time line?"

Wade was rapidly punching away at the keyboard, "Wait a minute. Let me see."

* * *

They kept studying the image. It zeroed in on two figures walking towards the school. Appearing middle-aged and looking like they might be teachers, Kim and Ron could see them talking in an animated manner. One was a woman with short red hair in a sharp outfit that looked kind of like a Global Justice uniform and wearing an eye patch over her left eye, the other a balding, pot bellied man with glasses. But the closer the image focused in on them, their faces became recognizable, and they were stunned, recognizing the two figures as themselves, but older.

The woman was clearly out of patience with the man walking beside her.

"Look, Ronald, I know you want to go find that stamp to complete your collection, but not now! I've got this PTA meeting to go to!"

"But Kimberly. I've been looking for this stamp for thirty years! It's a chance of a lifetime! Please come with me."

Kimberly turned and glared at him, an angry look on her face, "Ronald, this isn't high school!"

"Yes it is."

"I mean when we were in high school, you dweeb! I can't just go traipsing all around the country mindlessly chasing your pet passion every time you find another stupid stamp!"

This angered him, and he stomped out in front of Kimberly when she turned back towards the school, standing in her way and forcing her to stop. She matched glares with him, refusing to give an inch.

"Hey!", he said harshly, "You know that's not fair. I've helped you fight crime for over thirty years now! You may be the head of an international crime fighting syndicate by night and a physical education teacher at Middleton High by day! But that doesn't give you the right to address me like that!"

But she was having none of it, saying dismissively, "Ronald! If you need someone to go with you, get Rufus!"

"But you know Rufus is retired!"

"So get somebody else!", she yelled.

Stunned by her response, Ronald's shoulders slumped in defeat, "Kimberly, you know I don't have any other friends beside you."

"Well, that's your problem!" she retorted, still angry.

His defiance deflated, Ronald stood there glumly without answering.

The woman seemed to relent a little then, obviously regretting her words. She spoke softer, although she still talked down at him.

"Look, Ronald. I'm sorry I called you a dweeb. But you act like one. What are you doing with your life? All you do is collect stamps! You have no other friends. You've never married or had children."

"So what?", he replied in a sulk, "Neither did you!"

"That's different!", she riposted defensively, "You know my job requires all my time. It simply wasn't in the cards!"

He looked down at the ground and mumbled sadly, half to himself, "Only because you wouldn't let me into your life, Kimberly."

Kimberly's face grimaced in frustration. Clearly this was a topic they had frequently touched on before. She let out a long sigh of resignation then said, "Ronald, you have always been a friend and a great help to me when I needed someone to fight the bad guys and go out on the missions. I have always valued your friendship. But please, don't lecture me about relationships. You have never grown up! You're just a child in a man's body! And not much of that either, anymore."

His face clearly registered the hurt of those comments, but he couldn't defend himself, impotently arguing back at her.

"But I can do better. I can show you."

"Show me what?", she interrupted again, clearly irritated, "That you can improve on being a janitor at your old high school or a part time desk jockey at Global Justice? That you can accompany me on the missions anymore? Look at you! There's no way you can keep up in that shape! You can hardly fit your uniform anymore! You know that!"

"Give me another chance, please.", he begged.

Kimberly stood there gazing at her friend pitifully, a look of pain on her face. Then she looked down, rubbing her temples with her hands and readjusting her eye patch which covered the result of a permanent injury from long ago. When she looked back up, her face was stern and lined heavily with the demands of her work, and she seemed to look so old and sad.

Trying to be sympathetic, but still coming out condescendingly, she replied, "Please, Ronald. You're making a fool of yourself. It's too late. It's... ...just too late. Now I've got to make this PTA meeting and go back to headquarters. Being the Director of Global Justice is too demanding to waste my time like this and you've got to realize that. For your own sake, Ronald, get a life."

She turned away and stalked off towards the gymnasium building, leaving him standing there alone, downcast and despondent in the parking lot.

* * *

The image faded. Kim and Ron looked at each other, white as ghosts.

"That was us?", he whispered.

She replied wide-eyed in a timid and shocked voice, "Ron. I would never ever be that way to you!"

Looking just as horrified, he said sadly, "Frankly, KP, if I was that man, I don't think I would blame you."

Kim looked off in the distance, her mouth slightly open, "No family. No marriage or children. I don't think I could do it. The job isn't worth that."

Ron looked down at the floor of the plane and mumbled, mostly to himself, "No job is. I know I couldn't do it."

The Kimmunicator beeped, jogging their attention back to it, and Wade reappeared.

"Sorry, guys.", he said lightly, "Got the wrong time split there. But I confirmed that your dream was a disrupted time line and that the Tempus Simia Idol was destroyed for sure at the end. So you don't have to worry about it. It's a clean slate as of now. All you have to do is destroy the idol in the present time before it's activated."

Kim and Ron stared silently at the Kimmunicator without answering him. After a moment Wade stared back in consternation.

"Uh, what's the matter, guys? You don't look so hot."

Kim asked, "Wade. Are you sure these are disrupted time lines? They won't come true?"

"Yeah, I'm sure.", he said, now perplexed, "I restricted the parameters of the search to that. Why? What did you see?"

Her face livid with anger, Kim yelled, "Let me put it this way! Don't you ever mention time travel to me again! You hear me!"

Taken aback, Wade said, "Okay! Okay! What'd I do?"

Ron replied in a troubled voice, "Man, you don't want to know."

* * *

Later, Ron pulled Kim aside, seeing she was still upset.

"Are you okay, Kim? That whole time line thing seems to have really got to you."

She gazed into his eyes a long time, her face in consternation.

"Ron, how do you feel―... Do you―..."

She froze. Ron looked at her, puzzled.

"Feel about what, Kim? What?"

Slowly she shook her head, as if clearing cobwebs out of her mind, visibly relaxing.

"No, it's nothing, Ron. It's okay. I'm sorry. I was just really disturbed by that whole time travel thing. That's all."

"Are you sure? It's just that it really got to you."

"No, I'm okay.", she replied, smiling comfortably, "We better get ready though. It won't be long now."

"Yeah.", he said returning her smile, "It's just I wanted to... ...I wanted to say... ...It's good. I'm glad you're feeling okay about it."

She smiled her appreciation as he went back to getting his gear ready, and Kim went back to hers. Both of them mentally kicked themselves for not saying what they really were thinking about.

* * *

It wasn't long before the plane was in range of the site of the Tempus Simia Temple. The mood on the plane turned quiet and brooding in anticipation, all except for Ron. He had suddenly become quiet and distant, seemingly concentrating on the mission at hand. That worried Kim at first, but then she saw he was just seriously getting his mind into a proper mental state for what was to come, which calmed her down.

'Good.', she thought, 'He's getting his head into the game.'

They arrived at the target zone in the early morning hours and scouted the area before the jungle sun's heat started to beat down. They had never been here before, but during their reconnaissance, neither Kim nor Ron could escape the eerie feeling of deja vu from their shared dream. Once the ground intelligence gathering was done, the ninjas lifted out of the plane in air cars to their attack positions. The three teens went by a smaller two man hovercraft carrying them with Jos squeezed in the back. Ron had grumbled about the size of the hovercraft, but Kim said there wasn't enough room on the plane for a larger unit with all the ninjas and their equipment. They had to make do with what they had.

Once they reached the region of the temple, they landed out of sight and made their way through the thick foliage until they gained a good vantage point at the edge of the clearing in which the temple was located. Finding the place swarming with henchmen, they took their time to observe and gather intelligence. They were soon joined by the ninja team leader, and they continued their surveillance. Of the four villains, there was no sight. It was close to noon, and it was getting hot. Kim turned to the ninja leader and gave her final orders to him, laying out the signals for the timing of the attack. He disappeared into the brush and soon Kim could hear the nearest ninjas fanning out and getting into position. When Kim was sure everything was ready, she gave the signal and Team Possible went into action.

The three teens dodged through numerous stacked crates and boxes that had been piled all around the clearing, giving them a clear pathway to the entrance to the temple in relative obscurity, soon entering the ancient structure unnoticed. Once through the entrance, and as prearranged, a loud din started outside as the ninjas began their attack on the henchmen. Kim, Ron, and Jos quickly looked around and got their bearings. It was obvious that the villains had been busy. They were in a large chamber where they could see Drakken and Shego on an tall altar at the back with Killigan beside them. The two men held the head of the idol, awaiting the noon hour to activate it. Monkey Fist stood nearby, but they did not move or do anything. Studying this, Kim looked at her watch. It was actually still about thirty minutes to noon. She thought, 'Why were they holding the head of the idol above the body this far in advance?'

Finally Drakken looked up, appearing aghast that Kim Possible had found them, to which Monkey Fist replied, "Why do you act so surprised?"

As Kim heard this, she was mildly amazed that this was exactly what they said in her dream.

But Drakken's response was different. This time, Drakken smiled, saying smugly, "She expects it, of course."

Kim gasped. He had not been surprised at all, and this never happened in her dream.

Looking at Shego, Drakken said, "Now Shego, remember, don't damage the temple, just her."

He stared pointedly at his henchwoman, making sure they had eye contact so that he knew she understood him, irked that it was the third time he had to remind her of this today. For some reason, her concentration today was really off. She had been complaining of a headache and kept getting his instructions wrong. If he didn't need her so badly for this, he would have just left her back at the lair. But now that Kim Possible had come, somehow her alertness improved remarkably, and he fervently hoped it would stay that way. Shego grinned evilly in acknowledgment of his orders as he patted a small remote control on the altar next to the idol, muttering to himself, "Of course, I have this abort signal device to disarm the explosives just in case you do."

Shego overheard him say that, but did not reply as her attention was elsewhere. She knew that during the preparation of the temple for Team Possible, Drakken had planted numerous explosives and wireless video cameras throughout the multiple underground levels of the ancient building with an intricate detonation sequence with many safeguards. He didn't want anything to accidentally set them off. They were intended as a last resort in case he had to escape quickly and take out whoever was left behind to prevent pursuit, especially if they were the good guys. Some of the video cameras responded to movement and acted as triggers to the explosives, thus able to target anyone who got too close to certain areas, exactly as he planned. Of course, if the plan went perfectly and he succeeded in activating the Time Monkey idol, he would activate them all anyway, but with Killigan and Monkey Fist still inside. This was all fine with Shego, but that wasn't her main concern at the moment.

The four villains looked at their foes and grinned confidently. Down on the floor of the temple, Kim looked the situation over, a slow dread overtaking her.

"None of this is right, Ron.", she said desperately, "We're missing something."

Ron wasn't listening. His face had turned ashen. He had recognized the place, not from his dream, but from the vision that Sensei showed him so many months ago back in Japan...

* * *

Sensei awoke from his meditation, quietly eyeing Ron sitting a short distance away in deep contemplation. For some reason, the boy had not yet entered the meditative state. He was concerned about something.

"Are you well?", he asked quietly.

Ron opened his eyes and looked at him, answering, "Yes, I'm fine Sensei. I really was just about to start meditation. It's getting easier every day now."

Actually, it wasn't. But he did keep trying.

The old master smiled, "Yes, Young Stoppable. I am pleased. You have learned much in the days you have been here."

"Thank you, Sensei., he replied uneasily, "This is really great, you know. It's... ...well it's really an honor. I'm grateful for all you've given me."

"I am honored as well, Ron-San.", Sensei said with a slight bow of his head.

Ron was still surprised he spoke to Sensei like that. Before, as an apprentice, he was always being 'cool' in his speech with Sensei, because he wasn't that serious about learning Tai Shing Pek Kwar. But talking with the old master now in his new status as a true student, Ron could no longer be that casual. He had gotten used to addressing him formally. It just didn't feel right to do otherwise. It was amazing to Ron that in the meditation garden of the school, where Sensei had instructed him on so many subjects, Ron had surprised himself yet again, finding himself an apt pupil. He wondered, 'Why here, and not in high school?' He had no good answer. But in all his life, Ron had never felt so calm or at peace. The Mystical Monkey Power was in full bloom in him now, astounding him with all of its abilities and knowledge, and he could see in so many ways how he would be able to use it effectively.

But he also knew even that wasn't enough to make him do it. No, there one thing that anchored him, that really made it possible for him to do this, that enabled him fully...

His love for Kim.

This was something of which he no longer had any doubts at all. The revelation of that was still so fresh in his mind. And he had immersed himself into the training and mental disciplines Sensei taught him, smoothly and quickly learning everything the master showed him. However, on this last day here at Yamanuchi before he was to return home, he was troubled. Despite his assurances, Ron had been sitting in the garden for half an hour without entering the meditative state at all. Finally, Sensei decided to find out why.

The old master quietly watched him a little longer, then asked again, "What is it, Stoppable-San?"

Ron could see he wasn't able to hide it.

"Sensei.", he said, "I know you helped me see why I can't tell Kim about my new training, but I have to ask again. Is there no other way?"

The old master replied sadly, "No, young one. I am sorry. You saw what happened."

"But they were only glimpses, fragments of time I could barely see.

"Yet in every one in which you told her prematurely,", Sensei answered, "she left you, never trusting again anything you said. Once your team was broken, our enemies would win."

Ron frowned at that, "But―..."

"No, Stoppable-San.", interrupted Sensei, "You cannot help her until certain events in time have happened. And I cannot tell you what those are, or when. The journey she must undertake is one she must do alone."

His face became sterner.

"Thus, there is nothing further we can do for her at this time, but there is something that you can and must do in the near future. Now is the time I must tell you what may well be the greatest test you will have to face."

Sensei stood up and faced Ron.

"As I said before, you must face Monkey Fist. From that battle, only one of you will survive intact. What I did not tell you until this day, when you are now ready for it, is that you must face him while he bears the Lotus Blade."

Gasping, Ron stood up, dismayed, "But Sensei! Then you know he'll try to take it! You can stop him, or I can stop him!"

Sensei slowly shook his head.

He said, "Your willingness to face him is to your credit, but it is too late. The vision I give you now did not come until last night, and it came just moments after Monkey Fist had taken it yet again."

Ron's face went white, "The Lotus Blade? Gone once more?"

"It was fated for this to happen.", Sensei again replied sadly, "It is your destiny to face Monkey Fist and battle him for mastery of the blade. Good versus evil. There is no turning back. The only warning I can give you is the image of the place where this will happen."

Sensei closed his eyes, his face straining from concentration. An image gradually appeared in the air of the garden. It was of a vine overgrown structure, a huge temple, in the shape of a monkey sitting on the ground, deep in a jungle. The image then shifted to a stony interior showing an altar set in the center with a hole in the roof over it such that the sun would shine down on the sacrificial stone top precisely at high noon. The image lasted for only a few seconds before it winked out, but it was long enough for Ron to know it again if he saw it. As the image faded, Sensei let out his breath, appearing tired. Exercising the magic in such a way was taxing and he could not hold it long.

Ron burned that image into his mind. But then another image abruptly pushed its way into his head along with it. It came from when Sensei first initiated Ron into the school only a week before. He suddenly remembered running down the hallway of the temple again, the walls collapsing around him, the boulders closing in as he fell, his arm broken as he lay helpless on a pile of broken stone gasping for air just as he was trying to talk into the Kimmunicator. Then the ceiling cracked and moaned, suddenly breaking apart and falling on him.. ...falling on him, and then his consciousness faded away and didn't come back. He knew this was the same place.

Ron's forehead was wrinkled in pain as he recalled it. Sensei quietly regarded him.

Slowly, Ron opened his eyes in realization and steadily looked at his teacher.

"There really is no other way Is there?"

With a face as sad as he had ever seen, Sensei slowly shook his head.

"I am sorry, Ron-San. There is not."

Ron stood silent and still then slowly nodded.

"So, I won't make it, will I?"

"Not so, young one!", Sensei suddenly cried out softly, his eyes lighting up anxiously,"Death is never a certainty. Although it is dire, yet you may survive it. Such are the vagaries of the magic of the visions. Therefore, do not despair. There is hope!"

Ron nodded at him, his eyes looking far off, "but not likely."

Sensei's eyes became sad once more, "It is a great danger, I admit."

"You once asked me if I would willingly give my life to save Kim's..."

"And without any hesitation,", answered Sensei, "You said you would without a second thought."

"I meant it, every word."

"I know.", said the old master, "Yet take heart. It may not be required. You may yet win through."

"I understand, Sensei.", he said softly, "Somehow, I'll find a way. I'll find a way..."

But he didn't believe it.

Sighing a deep breath, Sensei came up and placed a hand on Ron's shoulder. He spoke solemnly, yet warmly to him.

"I know this is a crucial and difficult test, young Stoppable, but I believe you shall recover the Lotus Blade and return it to its home. We can survive here without it for a short time, though not forever. But I have come to know your heart, and I am comforted that you shall do your best to succeed. Go in peace, my student. You shall always be welcome here."

* * *

He relived that moment in a flash. He had thought that was all there was. But he still didn't understand, which was why just before the plane landed, he sought privacy in the back of the plane and tried to reach out to Sensei. He still was lousy at using his mental abilities for much of anything, but surprisingly, this time, Sensei answered, appearing before him in his wispy image form as he had before when he wanted to communicate long distance.

"Young Stoppable.", he said, 'You enter the critical time for your Prophecy. You must be ready."

"I am, Sensei.", replied Ron, "But I have to know exactly why. Does telling Kim I love her cause her doom?"

Sensei looked at him apprehensively, "It should not. We are past that danger. Telling her now should not cause her to leave you and destroy your partnership."

Ron looked at him with such pleading, "Are you sure? Please, Sensei..."

He became perplexed and thoughtful, "Let me see if the visions reveal anything."

The old master concentrated. His image disappeared and soon there was an image of a huge explosion filling the vision. There was only fire and smoke, gigantic rocks blasting through the scene in every which way. Voices were screaming and yelling. One of them finally came through. It was Kim...

"I have to save him!"

"No, Kim! You can't!

"I have to! He loves me! I love him! I can do anything!"

"Kim! Noooooooooo!"

Suddenly the smoke and fire rose up even more powerfully than before, more explosions ripping through the image... ...and then he saw Kim's form suddenly falling from above and into the maelstrom, screaming... ...screaming...

The image suddenly winked out, leaving Ron shaken and out of breath. Sensei reappeared to him.

"This was not foreseen.", he said worriedly.

"Is this because I told her I loved her?"

"I cannot say, but it could be so."

Ron nodded, and the image dissolved away. It didn't matter. She may think he loved her without his ever telling her. In any case, he still couldn't tell her, but he could make sure she was safe.

He sought Jos out just as the plane landed, before they entered the temple.

"Whatever happens, Jos.", he said softly, "If we are in the air car, no matter what, don't let her jump."

Jos looked at him, confused, "What are you talking about, Ron? You're scaring me."

"Promise me!", he said forcefully, "If and when a time comes she wants to do it, don't let her jump out of the air car!"

"I... ...I promise, Ron.", she whispered, not understanding this at all.

Ron didn't explain.

* * *

Ron shook his head violently, brought back to the present time as he cleared the cobwebs out of his thoughts, trying to focus again. He had made the connection between the vision and his dream as soon as they exited the plane. He wasn't sure just when it would happen until now. This was it. This was where he would face Monkey Fist for the Lotus Blade, missing for almost an entire year now. He should have realized it since Team Possible knew Monkey Fist was involved in this Tempus Simia sitch.

And now he knew for sure that one of the canvas wrapped artifacts he saw back in Cambodia had to be the Lotus Blade. Monkey Fist must have needed it to enter the temple and recover whatever he was looking for there. It was the Lotus Blade's energy signature that came from the burn mark on the wall...

'No', he thought, 'I'm getting distracted again. Kim is right. Something else is wrong here.'

He looked at her and Jos, and said, "You're right. KP. It's a trap. They expected us to be here, here and now."

Troubled, Kim stared at him, asking, "What do you mean? How do you know?"

"It was one of the things Sensei warned me about when I was in Japan.", Ron answered, "This is the place. It is here where I would meet Monkey Fist in final battle. I only now understand the warnings Sensei had been giving me."

Kim's face blanched in consternation, trying to understand.

'Oh, no.', she thought, starting to really worry, 'What did he mean final battle? If he was right, and this is a trap, we're in a real bad sitch. We can't leave until we destroy the Tempus Simia!'

All of a sudden, Kim felt terror. She couldn't control it. Her confidence evaporated away. From his perch on the altar, Drakken was grinning from ear to ear. He knew he had her. The only way for Kim Possible to save herself and her team was to retreat immediately, but he knew she couldn't do that without retrieving the idol. She had fallen into the perfect trap! Now, it was only needed to separate the two of them for good, to achieve the goal that would eventually secure a final victory for him. He took the head of the idol and put it down on the altar next to its body, no longer in need of it for the moment. He looked at Monkey Fist and nodded, and the monkey master grinned evilly as he returned the nod.

"You're supposed to fight Monkey Fist in final battle?", exclaimed Kim, still staring at Ron, "Here?"

A cold shiver came over Ron. Destiny was crashing down. He knew the moment was near, the one he wouldn't... ...probably... ...survive. Somehow, realizing that crucial moment had come, Ron suddenly knew he had to tell her. He wasn't supposed to. But somehow he knew he had to do it, and trust Jos would succeed in the task he gave her.

"Are... ...are you going to be here afterward?", Kim cried in stark fear.

"Kim, I need to tell you something, before I..."

He was cut off by a screeching simian yell. Monkey Fist jumped from the altar and landed right in front of them. Both teens immediately took up defensive fighting positions. But the monkey master did not attack. He only stood up straight and pulled out the Lotus Blade, pointing it at Ron. As he did, the blade hummed and shone with an amber light, as if alive, much as when Ron last saw it.

In a smug voice, he said to Ron, "Yes! This is where the final battle begins, young fool! But it will not end here!"

With a twist of the blade, he twirled the sword through the air, creating a circle of fire, a portal in the air within it, the magic of the blade revealing a doorway to another place. Swinging the weapon swiftly back in his adversary's direction, the amber energy suddenly engulfed Ron and pulled him towards the sword. With another howl, Monkey Fist jumped into the mystical channel and dragged Ron through after him, yelling in surprise. They disappeared and there was a blip in the portal energies as Rufus popped out and landed on the floor with a squeak. The portal vanished.

"Ron!", shouted Kim, too late, fear overtaking her.

"No need to worry about him, Ms. Possible.", said Drakken, laughing, "Monkey Fist shall be entertaining him for some time, hopefully for an eternity!"

She shouted up at Drakken in anger, "Where has he taken him?"

He smiled evilly like he always did when he had the upper hand. Kim shook with rage, with trepidation.

"Honestly, I don't know.", he replied nonchalantly, "Monkey Fist assured me, however, it was secluded and their... ...discussions... ...would not be interrupted. In the meantime, you can see that I have prepared a special welcome for you here."

Loud voices and shuffling came from the entrance of the temple. Kim looked around, gasping as she saw the ninja teams being herded in bindings into the building surrounded by a lot more of Drakken's henchmen than she had initially thought were here. She then realized the team had been completely outflanked. Somehow their intelligence was faulty. They were lured in and trapped. As she suspected, unfortunately far too late, Drakken knew she was coming and successfully kept his extra henchmen hidden from surveillance until he needed them. Behind her, she heard a girl yelping, and she saw Jos being tied up to a pillar. The first thing that went through her mind was, 'Oh my gosh! What will I tell her father?' But her attention was quickly brought back to her nemesis.

"And now, Kim Possible.", crooned Drakken, "It's just you and me."

Shego looked back at him sharply, and growled.

"Okay, you and us.", he corrected in irritation. He smiled again at his teen arch-foe. As Kim expected, his ranting had not yet finished.

"You see, Kim Possible.", he said glibly, "In the past, you had somehow always defeated my nefarious plans. But I always knew if I could defeat you, I would finally take over the world. And that is why my last plan was so perfect! The diablos would have given me complete global control, and Eric, well, let's just say Eric would have kept you occupied."

Kim glared at him, barely holding the terror in as he raked her feelings over the coals once more.

"But I still miscalculated, just a bit, you see.", he continued, "My plan to defeat you worked! It actually worked!

You were a self-pitying shell, a wisp of an ineffectual girl,", he said mockingly, "and in no position to challenge me ever again!

Anger suddenly diffused through his face, banishing his glee momentarily.

"until the sidekick managed to bring your broken spirit back to life!", he said in anger.

Kim remained silent, her eyes blazing hatefully at him as he kept posturing, his smug contempt and sneer reappearing, her uncertainty again threatening to make her break. She fought to keep it under control.

"So, I knew then.", Drakken continued, "Yes, I can beat you. Maybe not all the time, but it can happen. And I only have to win once, just once, to reach my goal, to finally take over the world! All I have to do to accomplish that is break up the team."

Drakken stepped forward in front of the altar and gloated, laughing maniacally, fully relishing and savoring his approaching victory. His cohorts all saw Kim's face blanch as she realized his ultimate plan, to separate her and Ron, and they joined him in the laughter, enjoying the moment, especially Shego. All the while they laughed, Shego unthinkingly played with the abort signal device on the altar. Toying with it, she wondered.

'Oh, yeah.', she thought idly, 'He wanted me to use this to disarm the explosives if they go off.'

Without any further concern about it, she picked it up and clipped it onto her belt.

Finally sated with his taunting, Drakken went on, "And now Kim Possible, you have no team. No sidekick to bail you out at the last moment. Time for you to be destroyed! Once and for all!

"Shego!"

Slowly, the henchmen started to move away from Kim until there was a large clearing in the middle of the temple floor. Shego casually descended from the altar, slowly walking to the center of the circle, facing her opponent with that cloying air of hers.

Kim looked around, then focused on her arch-foe, steeling herself as best she could for what was coming.

"Well, Princess.", Shego said with an oily smile, "I guess this is it. Just you and me. 'Mano y Mano'. You can't win now."

"I've beaten you before!", Kim riposted angrily through gritted teeth, her eyes boring steadily at her, her hands unsteadily curled into fists, "I can do it again!"

Shego chuckled.

"Oh, I admit you had gotten the upper hand in the past. But there was always some outside thing, you know. You always had the sidekick to do something, or the fight had to end before we could finish, or you used some low trick."

She chuckled harder.

"Some of those were pretty good I must say."

Kim didn't respond, glaring with animosity.

Shego continued, "Anyway, something else always interfered. But you never, ever beat me in the ring all by your lonesome, not without some external help."

"I did at Bueno Nacho!", retorted Kim, "Both the first and the last times!"

Shego stopped a moment, her eyes becoming slightly unfocused, then she began to laugh softly. Kim could see that had struck a nerve. A flash of light appeared around the villainess, weird green energy running through her body. Kim gasped, having seen this before in the synthodrone lair, and it daunted her. Shego's green energy glow seemed to expand out from her in a very menacing way. Slowly, Shego floated upwards as a ball of green fire gradually appeared and surrounded her. Kim's eyes went wide, but she did not move. She could see Shego through the emerald flames licking about her body like the caresses of a lover, obviously powerful and dangerous, gently probing and moving about her limbs and torso with tenderness, doing no harm. Shego seemed to calm down more. Then the green sphere of energy diminished languidly, winking out altogether as she came back down to the ground. She still had the glow of the plasma about her body but it was at the usual brightness Kim had seen in the past. Shego settled into an offensive stance and leered at her arch-foe with amusement.

From the altar, Drakken frowned a bit at this unnecessary display, but soon regained his malicious grinning. He considered that Shego was becoming more powerful, which could be a future problem, but for now, that only meant Shego would beat his arch-nemesis that much easier.

"Touché, Kimmie.", Shego said menacingly, "I'll grant you that. But you don't have your sidekick anymore."

Her eyes hardened, the wild look Kim had seen once before coming back into her eyes. It was that same wild look she saw during the synthodrone mission, the one of insanity. Shego grinned even more malevolently.

"Now it's time to even the score!", she barked out in challenge, "And this time, sister! You aren't going to walk away, ever!"

Screaming with rage, she charged. Kim's heart sank. Just in time, she was able to rip off her camouflage revealing the battle suit beneath it and bring her hands up to block the green energy blasts from Shego's hands. The battle suit responded well, absorbing the energy of the blasts and diverting them away. Kim knew if Shego chose, she could actually change the composition of the blasts to incinerate whatever she hit with them. Most of the time she made them mild as possible to merely knock an opponent down or out of the way. But it was clear they were at maximum force now, blowing holes in the floor with the force of howitzer shells, when she didn't miss and actually knock Kim around like a tennis ball off a racquet. In shear desperation, Kim fought as savagely as she could.

Only the battle suit allowed her to withstand the power of those blasts, and still the stun of the bolts knocked her backwards, feeling like a sledge hammer had hit her. She recalled from Drakken's lair, and the video from the British prison, how the power blasts were more magnified, more powerful than they had ever been before, somehow fueled by her rage. Even now, they were greater than she expected to face, and she couldn't see a way to get past them and confront Shego directly. Moving as fast as she could, she frantically searched her brain for some way to defeat her, and all she could think of was how she was failing Ron now. For the second time in her career, Kim felt a sudden dread that she might not stop Drakken.

When the fight started, Drakken was elated and smiling. Shego appeared to be at the top of her game, succeeding against their mutual enemy in a way she hadn't in the past with the increase in her powers. He wasn't sure how good it was, but he was sure it wasn't good for Kim Possible in any case. He watched them go through multiple exchanges of blows which initially ended in draws, but then things started to go in his sidekick's favor. 'About time', he thought. He continued to grin maliciously, until Shego let loose a power blast that blew a large hole in one wall of the temple as her arch-foe jumped out of the way. Drakken's smile faded. He started watching her closer, and as he did he noticed she was not fighting in her usual style. She was always aggressive, but she always attacked skillfully with her martial arts ability. Now she just charged headlong at her opponent every time now almost like a bull at a toreador without any finesse or regard for her surroundings. Another power blast went off and missed its target, blowing another big hole in the wall behind the altar.

He began to worry. Even though the brat teenager was completely on the defensive against Shego for the first time that he could remember, something was wrong. Those greatly increased power blasts were far too powerful to be used here. She should know better as they were beginning to do real structural damage to the temple, which she was not supposed to do. And the look in her eyes was one he had never seen before either. He had seen her angry, sad, smug, relatively pleased, and many other emotions, but he had never seen this, what? Truly insane rage?

He was concerned now that she might set off the explosives prematurely. Fortunately, he had the fail safe signaling device to disarm and abort the explosions if necessary.

"Shego!", he called out harshly to her, "Calm down your blasts! Don't trigger the charges!"

She gave no indication she heard him. Unrelenting in her attacks, she was punishing Kim Possible severely, already having permanently damaged the battle suit from the sheer power of her plasma blasts. The suit normally repaired itself after being damaged, but now was unable to do so and had several rents and tears in it that did not seal themselves. The teenager was breathless and clearly trying to avoid being vaporized, making the greatest gymnastic jumps she probably ever had in her entire career, but in desperation. Shego was scored with several wounds herself that bled, all due to her teen nemesis returning the favor with several returns of green plasma with her hand scoop. 'That battle suit is impressive, indeed.', Drakken thought.

Shego let loose another blast which took out a pillar.

"Shego!", yelled Drakken again, "Don't set off any charges!"

His sidekick looked back up at him, angrily, then threw another huge bolt of green plasma that slammed into Kim, picking her up off the ground and slamming her up against a wall. Kim screamed in pain as Shego's hands still blazed. She turned and yelled back at Drakken.

"Go take care of the charges yourself, Drew! I'm busy!"

She turned and fired off yet another round at Kim who barely managed to get up and handspring to one side as the wall crumbled from the blast. Shego then rapid fired bolt after bolt at Kim, trying to nail her, shattering rock everywhere she hit. Kim yelped slightly as fragments sliced through the battlesuit. It still tried to heal itself, but just couldn't do it completely. The battle was exhausting its reserves. Quickly, Drakken looked around for the abort signal device to disarm the explosives and shut them down, but he couldn't find it.

'What happened to it?', he thought, 'It was right here!'

Shego let go with one final blast which hit the far wall at the back of the temple. Drakken cringed, but his worst fear was realized nonetheless. This blast set off the first charge. The temple began to shake as the other explosives started to fire off in sequence.

Angry at the disruption of his perfect plan, Drakken yelled in frustration, "Sheeegoooooo!"

She ignored him completely. She was focused on only one thing and it wasn't her 'boss'. Drakken looked around in panic, seeing the building start to tremble and crack. He went for the idol to take it to safety, but not before a large chunk of stone fell down from the inside of the roof directly onto the altar, smashing the Tempus Simia to pieces.

He cried out, "Noooo!", but there was nothing he could do.

More pieces of stone began to rain down on them all from the walls and ceiling as the temple began to break apart.

"Everybody out, now!", he cried, and he scrambled for the door, followed closely by Killigan and his henchmen. Abandoned, the ninjas quickly started getting free of their ropes and began to attack them from behind once they exited the building. None of them went to help Kim. The blasts from Shego's hands continued to be full powered and too dangerous for any of them to try it. Even Jos, when she was freed by Rufus, could not find a way past the murderous barrage to help her. Soon the henchmen had exited the temple out the door closely followed by the ninjas, ordered out by Jos to take them down. She knew very well they couldn't help her cousin. She wasn't sure if she could do anything, but she had to stay and try.

Raggedly panting, Kim barely jumped out of the way of one more blast which would have incinerated her instead of the floor if she had still been there. Although her attention was all on the combat, she saw Drakken and Killigan making their getaway again. She had the impulse to chase them, but damped it down. She still had Shego to worry about. No one was left inside the temple except her, Jos, and her nemesis. The building had started breaking down into sections, shifting dangerously on its foundation deep underground. Kim saw Shego paid absolutely no mind to any of it. The only thing on the woman's mind was her berserk fury and desire to destroy her. Shego continued to press her advantage singlemindedly. Then Kim thought she saw an opening and took it. Shego had ceased firing her blasts long enough to power up a larger amount of plasma, and Kim jumped in to engage her directly. Surprised, Shego released the energy and let it fizzle, going into physical attack mode with direct hand to hand combat, though she kept her hands powered up.

She thought she could take Shego. She should have, especially with the power suit. But as soon as the fight started, she knew something was wrong. It was like she was going through the motions. She couldn't figure it out. She knew she could beat Shego! She knew! Yet, that absolute knowledge she could win simply wasn't there... ...It wasn't there. She felt so... ...what? So lost... ...stiill? How was she going to win? She couldn't believe it could happen this way. She should have stopped before this. She should have quit when she had the chance, just marry Ron, settle down... ...but she was going to do it on her own terms! She was sure she should have done it that way. Why couldn't she believe!

Kim parried Shego's hand attacks, barely keeping her from hurling another energy blast in between the kicks and punches they were furiously exchanging. She could see the glow of the battle suit flickering, feel its normally steady power surge fluctuating in and out badly. It was dangerously close to shorting out on her now. She tried to make up for it with superior kung fu skills, but Shego kept bearing down and finally got the opening she was looking for. Slipping through Kim's defense for only a moment, she drove in with a solid solar plexus punch, and was able to concentrate enough to fire off a solid green plasma blast into her mid-section. It didn't vaporize her, but it was enough. Kim grunted in surprise as she was hurled back against the far side wall, somehow still standing despite previous damage to it. She hit it hard, the energy of the blast echoing off the hard rock surface with a thunder clap, finally shattering the stone barrier and burying her with its jagged remains.

It was done. Kim was out of the fight. Jos cried out, and rushed towards her to help, but Shego turned and positioned herself between the girl and Kim, staring her down. The girl froze, her feet rooted to the floor in fear, terrified as Shego's shadow fell on her. Jos did not dare those power blasts from her hands, seeing the lunacy in her eyes. She thought she was a goner then.

But Shego only glared at her for several seconds, doing nothing. Her eyes glazed over for a few seconds, as if she wasn't quite there, then refocused after shaking her head a couple of times. The villainess softly laughed as she turned around, ignoring the girl completely. She walked over to where her arch-foe lay crying out in pain. The battle suit was destroyed, in tatters. It barely had enough energy to save Kim from being incinerated by the last blast before failing. Kim lay rasping in agony, half buried in a broken pile of rubble with burns and cracked ribs.

Silently, Shego stared at her with a look that Kim could not decipher. There was simply no reason, no sanity in that gaze, she realized.

Shego just grinned at her, insane merriment in her eyes.

"And so, it ends, Princess.", she said softly in that oily voice, " Like I said, only one of us walks away from this, permanently."

Kim glared back at her in silent defiance. Her only sounds were agonized breaths eliciting painful gasps. Shego turned and walked back away from her to the other end of the room, laughing softly the entire time. She turned again and faced Kim, raising her right hand to form the green plasma to blast her arch-foe out of existence once and for all. Kim struggled to free herself, but to no avail. Her strength finally gave out in desperate frustration and a painful cry. She prayed that her parents and Ron would forgive her for not surviving.

Shego's face shined triumphant, the pleasure and the satisfaction of having finally defeated her career long enemy radiating from her eyes. But just as she drew her arm back to cast the final explosive power blast, something crossed her vision. It was unexpected, but she was too good a warrior not to respond effectively. Someone jumped right in front of her, slugging her in the jaw. It was a good shot, but she sensed it coming and was able to shrug it off, stepping back from the attack.

"Not this time, kiddo.", she said, smiling at an enraged Jos.

She turned her attention to the girl who was now throwing every offensive technique at her that she knew, yelling in outright challenge. The attacks were strong and decisive, but though she was on the defensive, Shego easily toyed with the girl. The kid was even better than the first time she fought her, but as she had noted before, she was still not her cousin. It wasn't long before Jos overextended herself and Shego grabbed one outstretched arm and executed an over the hip throw on her, slamming her into the floor. Jos was stunned into defeat, the breath knocked out of her.

"Okay, you wannabe!", she said in irritation, angered by this distraction, "Looks like you have to pay the price for failure, too!"

Jos yelped in pain as Shego jerked the girl up roughly, holding her at arm's length by the front of her tank top, about to blast her with the green power bolt already in her right hand.

"Shego!"

Surprised, she stopped and looked over at Kim, whose face glowered with challenge and anger, but not hiding the intense dread she had for Jos' well being.

"I thought your fight was with me, puke face!", she yelled at her arch-foe insultingly, "You still wasting your time on the sidekicks? Sidekick?"

Shego glared at her nemesis, standing there with Jos in one hand, a plasma bolt in the other ready to melt the girl into oblivion. Her eyes met Kim's, showing as much rage and despite as her enemy's eyes held determination and fear, fear for her cousin. Shego did not move for several seconds.

Then without warning she dropped Jos like a sack of flour, turning again to face Kim, still trapped in the rubble. Jos fought to sit up but was still too weak to do more than struggle to all fours and look up, moaning in pain.

"You're so right, Kimmie.", Shego said confidently, "She isn't worth it. But you sure are!"

Jos looked up at Shego as the woman prepared to launch the largest ball of green plasma she had ever formed, aiming it at her cousin.

"Nooooooooo!.", Jos screamed.

"Bye, Bye, Princess!"

Jos howled as a ten foot wide blast of five thousand degree green plasma fired off from Shego's hands in a blinding flash.


	17. Chapter 17

Ron landed hard, banging his forehead. Pain exploded through his skull and he moaned as he grabbed at his temples hard. Slowly, the shock resolved and he could finally see through the blurry fog that then quickly receded. He found himself face down looking at a magnificently beautiful Persian rug. Hues of blue, brown, and a pale off-white played beneath him in a wonderful display of color and shapes. Some red was there too, which actually didn't belong. That was from a laceration on his forehead from the rough landing he had just suffered. It was still slightly bleeding. Pushing himself up slowly, he looked around and saw he was in a huge room of about a hundred feet on each side, opulently furnished, filled with all sorts of very expensive looking antiques. The ceiling was inlaid with carved, dark stained wood panels displaying images of monkeys in various poses of martial training. There was quiet chittering and Ron looked down to his pocket to see if Rufus was all right, only to find the mole rat wasn't there. He guessed his pet somehow didn't make the trip with him, and hoped he was safe. Looking around to see the source of the noise, he saw monkey ninjas surrounding him, the same ones that followed Monkey Fist everywhere. Though grinning menacingly, they made no move to attack. Many of these followers had deserted the villain after the affair at the space station, but he still had a considerable number of devotees who believed him to be the 'Chosen One'. One other sound caught his attention. He heard the humming of the Lotus Blade behind him, followed by the laughter of an odious voice he knew too well. He turned over and sat up, looking at his foe who was holding the sword and grinning at him.

"Careful, there,", cautioned that voice derisively, "That's a Habibian Nain rug you're bleeding on. It's worth twenty thousand pounds."

"Like I care?", Ron retorted, "How did you bring me here?"

The monkey master chuckled, smugly replying, "You still do not know all of the powers of the Lotus Blade, do you? Nor do you know the power of the Tempus Simia!"

He spat at Ron virulently, "Such ignorance shows you do not deserve either!"

"Maybe not.", replied Ron, "But neither do you. I won't let you have it."

The villain looked wide-eyed at him, incredulous.

"You won't let me?", he retorted, "Do you truly believe you can defeat me? Prevent my return to complete the ritual of the Tempus Simia? Gain the power of time travel? Block my becoming Supreme Monkey Master? Are you so blind, boy? Can you not see that I have reached the third level of mastery? And will soon attain the fourth, never before done? You truly have no comprehension of the forces you are dealing with! Do you?"

Ron did not answer to the laughter that followed. He rose up and faced his foe.

Monkey Fist continued to taunt him.

"And how would a buffoon like you ever stop me?"

"Why don't you ask Killigan's goons? I don't think you'd say that if you were there."

Monkey Fist paused, his face hardening into an angry stare.

"Yessss,", he hissed, "I had... ...heard. Though I would not have believed it before, it appears Sensei taught you well. The Mystical Monkey Power is strong within you."

Ron stared back at him, stone-faced.

Monkey Fist added very softly, "But you are not a master yet."

Ron remained calm, almost emotionless, watching him intently.

"Oh, I think you'll find I'm full of surprises.", he said.

"I don't think so.", the villain sneered, "You know a few elementary disciplines, no more! That blithering old fool is incapable of teaching anyone more than that!"

"Sensei is a true master!"

Monkey Fist's face changed, and he looked at him with feigned surprise, "Oh! And I suppose I should realize this means you have the superior skills now and I should just surrender! Training from that old fossil? And they call me mad!"

"If the shoe fits.", Ron muttered at him.

"Well then,", cackled Monkey Fist mockingly, "Perhaps I should enlist some further aid. Perhaps I need some added power to confront a 'master' of the mystical monkey power such as yourself! Something such as this, perhaps?"

Laughing madly, Monkey Fist whipped the Lotus Blade around his head in a circular pattern, amber power shooting out from it. Finishing the circumferential movement, he jutted the sword straight up into the air as four jagged beams of amber energy struck the floor at the four corners of the room. At each point, a panel of stone slid away and a pedestal arose from it, and on each one stood a monkey idol. They rose like threatening sentries into the air, their eyes lighting up with a sickly green energy.

Ron gasped in surprise.

"But they were destroyed! How did you get them back?"

The monkey master cackled maniacally.

"Ah, but you and the rodent did destroy them!", he said gleefully, "Surely, you didn't think they were the only source of the mystical monkey power, did you?"

He laughed even more evilly as he saw this new information daunting Ron's countenance.

"The power is mine, fool!", he chortled, "You destroyed the four original idols! But you did not know about their counterparts! There wasn't just one set of the four idols! There were two sets! One good and one, so evil!"

Monkey Fist leered malevolently at Ron as he hissed the last two words.

"You failed to stop me from finding and possessing them! Soon, the world will painfully learn to know my iron will! But only after you experience it for yourself!"

As Ron looked with growing fear at the glowing statues, he remembered when he had first encountered the idols in Cambodia. The power that those idols bestowed, which had enveloped both him and Lord Fiske, was the same amber power that was now in the Lotus Blade. All four statues here looked exactly the same, but these idols were erupting with a sickly greenish energy all about them.

Irritated, he thought, 'Why green? Why does evil energy always have to be green?"

Without warning, magic shot out of the eyes of all four statues, starting to mix with the amber of the sword, blending together, and the green began to overtake it, feeding back into the Lotus Blade itself. The blade's bright sheen started to darken, turning black. Ron could feel the evil exuding from it, staining him like dirt, like ink.

"That isn't mystical monkey power!", he wailed, "It's just sick and wrong!"

"Not at all, you imbecile!", Monkey Fist droned at him, preparing to strike, "Merely enhancing the original power with its better half!"

Appalled, Ron had been distracted by the appearance of the idols, so when Monkey Fist charged him and slashed out with the Lotus Blade, he was caught unaware. He recovered well enough and quickly jumped back out of the way. But he felt a burning pain on his stomach. Looking down, he saw the laceration running all across his belly. It almost reached the muscle layer, but not quite. He looked up again, this time keeping his attention on his enemy.

Monkey Fist kept laughing, "Give it up, boy! You can't win!"

Ron winced in pain. He glared back at Monkey Fist, gritting his teeth.

"You know, if I had a quarter for every time someone called me a loser that couldn't win,", he said, "that, all by itself, would still make me richer than you! It didn't work then! It won't work now!"

Monkey Fist was exultant, roaring loudly. He knew that soon the monkey power would be all his. His attitude completely changed...

Confident in the outcome, he suddenly relaxed, deciding to toy with his captive to amuse himself. Resting the blackened blade on his shoulder he took a casual pose against a Queen Anne chair.

"No need to be so angry about it.", he said glibly, "You might as well relax and enjoy the surroundings. So, Ron Stoppable. How do you like my palace?"

Ron stopped and frowned, not expecting the monkey master to try and play with him. He could see the English Lord was trying to get him to mentally lower his guard. Hoping he was overconfident, he took advantage of the situation by looking around for a few seconds, then answering nonchalantly.

"Uh, too gaudy for my tastes. That Bric-a-Brac over there really doesn't fit, you know. Oh! And you know the color scheme of those chairs and the table, really doesn't go well with the walls. Did you get those chairs at Smarty Mart?"

Monkey Fist stared, the unexpected retort unsettling him momentarily.

"Surely you jest!", he half sputtered, "An unschooled dimwit such as yourself wouldn't recognize quality if you studied it for a lifetime!"

Ron grinned at him, a sly look on his face, "You know, it's a funny thing about quality. Just because you own it doesn't mean you have it."

"Enough!"

The monkey master was perturbed. His opponent's flippant nature showed him that he was keeping his wits about him. The Mystical Monkey Power had definitely changed him, and not for the better as far as he was concerned. He wielded the blade threateningly before him again. It had turned almost completely black, but there was still some silver at the tip. The blackness seemed to play along the surface of the sword, trying to spread all the way, but somehow the silver glow at the point refused to leave, continually pushing the inky dark away from it.

"Well then!", Monkey Fist yelled, "Shall we get down to business? You have something that belongs to me. I intend to have it! The Lotus Blade will soon be all mine. But you stole some of the original mystical monkey power. Until I get that back, the blade will not be completely under my control! I will destroy you for it if I must. But, I give you the choice. Yield the power and I will let you go! Refuse, and you will suffer greatly before you are forced to cede it to me!"

Monkey Fist did not expect what came next.

The buffoon's mood changed into something he had never seen before. Ron's whole body went hard. Silently, he glided like liquid metal into a defensive back stance with knife hands up in a defensive position.

His eyes showed only confident defiance as he replied in a low hard voice, "You are _soooo_ over now, baboon breath."

He smiled at the English Lord, a smile of pure confidence, and victory.

"You want what I have? Try and take it."

Monkey Fist's face turned red with rage.

Ron was now completely still, alert to the moment. Nana had warned him of it, the moment that could break him, the most dangerous time in this struggle. He knew that he had to empty his mind, and fill it with the image that would give him the victory he had to accomplish. She had said it would be the reason he would succeed. He had no idea what that image would be until just then, and realized it should not have been a surprise. It was Kim...

 _"As! You! Wish!... ...Fool_!", his nemesis spat back at him.

Monkey Fist screamed like an insane madman as he raised the Lotus Blade and attacked.

* * *

_Born in the year of the dragon under the month of the monkey, shall come the Chosen One, he who shall inherit the great simian powers._

_Born in the year of the dragon at the hour of the rat, shall come he who shall enable the dragon in her struggle against evil in the dragon's wars._

_Born in the year of the dragon and of the earth and a far away land shall come he who is the soul of the dragon and whose friend shall be the rat._

_Born in the year of the dragon enabled in amber light through love of the dragon shall come he of the great Trine, and all three shall save the world._

Alone in the sanctuary room, deep in the mountain, Sensei sat serenely in lotus position, completely submerged in his meditation, the words of the prophecy ringing through his mind. For many hours he had contemplated the events that had passed in the recent months, both here and abroad. He received regular reports from his own agents on world events for that purpose. Nana had also kept him up to date on Ron-San's progress, and the news had been gratifying to the old master.

Ron-San was the shining hope for him, the academy, and the mountain. Ever since the Lotus Blade was lost, the school had suffered. Enrollment had fallen off and students had left their training prematurely. Although Sensei strove to use every ounce of his power, it simply did not match what the Lotus Blade could do to maintain the spirit of the Yamanuchi students and their teachers. In the meantime, he held on and maintained the energy of the school as best he could through his own abilities. But he knew it would not last. Already the mountain was showing signs of weakness. Cracks were infiltrating the walls and threatening to spread, endangering the safety of all the inhabitants. Lord Toshimiru had carved the school out of the mountain and kept it sturdy, but now the sword he used was required to keep time from overtaking and destroying what he had created. It had to be returned soon, or all would be lost.

Sensei had sent Yamanuchi agents all over the world searching for Monkey Fist and the Lotus Blade, but without success. Although he had hoped against hope, he was, sadly, not surprised. What little he could see of the future was enough to show him the way events had to unfold. Monkey Fist had hidden the blade skillfully. Even when he had been caught and imprisoned in his native land after he stole it, Sensei and the school still could not find where he had hidden the sword. Once this became apparent, the old master realized the worst. The four dark idols had been found. That's what had been stolen from the four newly discovered ancient temples. Only their power could hide the location of the Lotus Blade from him.

The ancient practitioners of Tai Shing Pek Kwar, the original holders of the Mystical Monkey Power, did not wish the idols to be found as they did not want the power to fall into the wrong hands. But it was not so much their side of the power they feared would be misused. In the ancient days, there was a renegade monk of their order who became corrupted, his Mystical Monkey Power made evil. He rebelled and created an evil quartet of statues to enhance his magical force, the opposites of the originals, in an attempt to take control of the monasteries and subsequently all their lands. In the ensuing battle, the evil one and his followers were eventually destroyed. But the cost of that battle was the permanent transfer of the remaining Mystical Monkey Power from the surviving monks into the all the statues, and into the weapon that made the difference, the Lotus Blade. The power of the good monks was absorbed into the good statues, and as the dark monks died, the evil power vanished from them into the dark idols and all eight were now interlinked. So cunning had the ancient renegade monk been in casting his magic, that the dark idols could not be destroyed without destroying the Lotus Blade and the four good idols, but the reverse was not true, as had been proven. That was the danger of leaving them all intact, and the the sacred sword was the crux of all nine artifacts as it could be controlled to make one set of idols dominant over the other. After much debate over how to deal with these powerful objects, the decision was made by the ancient order to hide them all, each one far away from the others, and the Lotus Blade farthest away of all. As the destruction of the good idols had been prophesied, many of the ancients had argued for the destruction of all the items, preferring that the order and its power cease to exist forever rather than risk it being controlled by evil forces again, for in any case, they were doomed to the loss of their power. But the wisest and oldest of them had the strength of will and magic to see the far off future. They knew that in a distant time and from an unknown land, one would rise to master the power and set things right. Only he would have the power to destroy the evil idols and yet save the sword, for then the sword would hold all of the power and would no longer be corruptible. So it was they resolved to hide the artifacts and allow time to play its part, trusting to the future. Many had questioned why this had come to pass, why the order was doomed to temporary extinction, and the answer came, in Prophecy. Although its eventual role was supportive, the Tai Shing Pek Kwar were the first to learn of the Prophecy. The monkey, of all the great animals, was the diplomat. As their role was to preserve and develop the Chosen One, so was it also their duty to spread the news of the Prophecy to the other fifteen great styles, to convince them that they all had to play their role in supporting the Prophecy and ensuring its success. This role the Tai Shing Pek Kwar played well, and successfully. Afterwards, the ancient order of the Mystical Monkey Power allowed itself to die out, unable to sustain itself further without the power within them.

So it was, the magic was gone, until centuries later when Lord Toshimiru discovered the Lotus Blade, hidden in a cave in Japan. Through deep meditation he discovered its power, learning to master it, and proceeded to carve the new school out of the great mountain. The practice of Tai Shing Pek Kwar was reborn. He served as its first master, and the line of masters remained unbroken for almost seventeen hundred years, until the present time, until Sensei. Now, he might very well be the last one. The ancient masters of the power could see the future skillfully, but Sensei was only an apprentice in comparison to the ability they had once held. He was able to see some few future events, to sometimes interpret the confusing images from the time stream, but it was exceedingly difficult to sort through the possible future time lines. The great skills of his predecessors were lost to him. But he was able to see enough to tell him that only one future would be the answer to his prayers, the same future he had shared with the Chosen One.

When he was but a boy, barely starting out as an apprentice in the Art, he had learned the Prophecy. He had known of the responsibility of his style to it, knowing of the role he and his fellow disciples would have to play. As a young acolyte, he excelled in his studies and his training, developing his power and technique, until he become the "Chosen One". For months he studied the ancient scrolls, knowing that somehow he was tied to the Dragon, that he somehow was fated to be her friend, to support her in the Great Trine, and he was ready to assume that role enthusiastically, so dedicated was he to the Prophecy and its purpose. but there was no answer to his quest on how to achieve that. He had no idea who the Dragon was, or how to reach her. Frustrated, he had gone to his own masters seeking help, and yet they were as helpless as he was to find the knowledge. And then, came the sudden summons, the summons to the Great Trial. Sensei and his master were surprised. It was not supposed to happen like this. If the Great Trine was to be achieved, he had to find and befriend the Dragon, to become her ally. It was not until the Great Trial had come to pass that he understood why it was not to be exactly as he thought.

'Has it been more than fifty years now?', he thought just then as he reminisced.

He remembered sitting in that Great Hall of that ancient monastery in Western China, watching with his master, as the young woman from the Western lands with her auburn hair stood proud, waiting to prove her worth as the next Dragon. Word had come that the last Dragon, then an old woman of nearly a hundred years in age had passed on in Africa. A new champion had to be chosen. The Great Trial had begun with such hope then, and the young woman he had seen for the first time on the stone floor of the Great Hall was indeed glorious in her performance. Rarely had he seen such skill in a practitioner of the art, especially against such arcane foes made of smoke and incense. And at the end, when she had defeated them all, there seemed to be such great joy, until the magic of the Prophecy turned on her and she was defeated in simultaneous attack by all of her animal foes attacking at once. That was how it was known Dragon candidates had failed in the past, for Great Trials had always instituted single combats, or so he would learn later when he became Master of Yamanuchi.

The failed dragon candidate left very soon after that, and he knew no more of her until several years later when he had newly assumed the mastership of Yamanuchi. He was called back to Western China, to that ancient monastery. It was then he again met the same young woman, who now had become the Guardian of the Prophecy, and who he would soon know as Nana Possible and her husband, two young baby boys in their arms. It was then he finally learned why she had failed the Great Trial. He understood then he was not the Chosen One. Instead, his role then was to search out the true Chosen One, the one who would then be the companion to the next Dragon candidate which the Guardian had been tasked to see brought into the world.

Fifty years. And his quest ended only short months ago with the arrival of Ron-San for the first time to Yamanuchi. Since then, he had secretly seen to the young boy's development, to grow up and become responsible, to assume his duties as the Chosen One, and he knew the critical time was now approaching rapidly. The great battle for success or failure of his life's work was now almost upon him. Sensei had been spending more and more time in meditation lately, sensing that critical point would soon come about. He wished to be ready when it did. The only thing that stood between Monkey Fist and his complete domination of the mystical monkey power with the Lotus Blade was Ron-San. If he failed, all would be lost. The school would be gone, the students and disciples scattered to the winds, Tai Shing Pek Kwar corrupted to evil, and Ron-San and his Kim Possible... ...It broke his heart even as he feared their fate. As he contemplated the flows of the mystical monkey power over the recent days, he followed the disturbance of their normally ordered patterns. Yes, he knew it wouldn't be long now.

Then, with a small gasp he shuddered awake out of his trance. He suddenly sensed Monkey Fist activating the evil idols, igniting their magic. This was an act that the monkey master surely knew would expose him and their location. 'So', Sensei thought, 'the enemy had indeed hidden them there at his palace after all.' He should have guessed, but the ninja teams he had sent before to secretly search the place had come up empty. Sadly, Sensei shook his head. He understood the evil power of the idols themselves kept them from being discovered in addition to hiding the Lotus Blade. But now it was time to act. Since Monkey Fist activated the idols, the mad English lord would know it wouldn't be long before the old master would feel it and send the ninjas to stop him. That meant the villain was too close to attaining his goal of total control, and that Sensei could not get there in time to help Ron-San. He was sure his young student now faced Monkey Fist alone, just as he predicted...

"Yori!", he called, "Yori, come here!"

Footsteps echoed quickly down the corridor and got louder as she ran into the room and stopped before her mentor. After a quick bow, she answered, "Yes, Sensei?"

"The time has come. The final battle has started. Monkey Fist has met Ron-San in combat at his palace in the land of the Khmer. Take all who are capable and get there as fast as you can. If Ron-San fails, all rests with you."

Yori looked at him in shock, "But Master, did you not say you were not strong enough to interfere?"

"Yes.", he said grimly, "But there is one rite I can do."

Yori blanched, "That has never been done before."

"As it would mean the end of Yamaguchi if I fail. Yes, I know. But there is no other choice"

Yori still stared in disbelief for a space, but quickly regained her control, her visage set to iron afterwards.

"Yes, master. I go.", she said with conviction, "I will not fail you or the school!"

She ran at full speed out of the sanctuary room shouting out orders, and soon the entire school erupted into furious activity, ninjas readying themselves for battle. Operatives flew in with helicopters to carry them to it. The school would empty itself for this final confrontation. As the aircraft were flying away, Sensei boarded one of the last ones that would leave. However, this craft would take him to a waiting plane at a nearby landing strip. His place was now in America. He had already called Nana and she would meet him at Team Possible's headquarters complex.

He feared for Yori. She was his best student here at the school. But even as skillful as she was, he knew her fate was sealed if Ron-San was not victorious. He could only hope that his interpretation of the future that would occur if that awful event came to pass was wrong, but he knew he was not. Still, they all had to try. The evil had to be confronted.

He also knew he could not help there. His place was now in Ron-San's own land, because even if Ron-San defeated Monkey Fist, his visions showed it would only return him to a greater danger, and the road to victory over the evil forces they faced would most likely demand his sacrifice to save them all. Sensei's place now was in the New World, to help Kim Possible. And hopefully, her willingness to save a hated enemy might save Ron-San...

There was one thing left to do. For seventeen centuries, Yamanuchi had prepared for this battle, the final battle over its darker side. What he would attempt now could cost him his life, as well as the spirits which kept Yamanuchi alive, permitted it its existence. Even that rite was a gamble, but it would be a surprise against the enemy who would not expect it. As the helicopter sped away, he settled down once more into lotus position in the back of the craft and sank back into his trance, performing the chants and movements. Concentrating, he fed all his energy into one all out burst towards his intended target.

* * *

Ron yelled as the Lotus Blade barely missed cutting his arm off. It still scored an ugly slash along his wrist. Swiftly, he whirled around trying to take Monkey Fist off his feet with a leg sweep, but his opponent bounded upwards nimbly and countered with another slash at his head. He twisted out of the way and leaped, delivering a flying side kick at his adversary's throat, which in turn was avoided by Monkey Fist darting off to the side and then rebounding back in with another stroke of the weapon.

Ron retreated and jumped yet again, this time perching on a large padded chair. He immediately leaped off as the Lotus Blade slashed it vertically in half. Monkey Fist stayed close behind and was cutting at his intended victim with the sword every chance he got. The monkey ninjas were screaming and chattering all around them as their master attempted to chase his enemy down and finally defeat him. They did not interfere as they had been given explicit orders by their master that this victory was to be his, and his alone. But they were not above putting some obstacles in the way. At one point when Ron landed on an area rug, one of the monkey ninjas was close enough to pull it out from under him, causing him to slip and fall. He barely leaped out of the way before Monkey Fist buried the Lotus Blade into the floor just underneath, shattering the wooden slats and scattering them about. He continued to move and stayed just out of range as Monkey Fist tried to chase him down, waiting for the opportunity for the English lord to overextend himself and give him the chance to take the offensive. But the Monkey Master was too good. Ron couldn't find an opening.

The combat seemed to go on forever, without end. He didn't know how long they had been fighting, but he was tiring badly. The only good thing about that was that Monkey Fist was getting just as exhausted. The villain kept pressing the advantage of the sword, while Ron tried to maneuver himself close enough to strike offensively inside the reach of the weapon. By now all the furniture in the room had mostly been overturned or damaged. The physical stress of the fight continued taking its toll, and in between the furious exchanges they circled each other warily.

He desperately sought an answer on how to win. Instinctively, he remembered how Nana had instructed him on how to fight without 'thinking', able to feel his responses to the situation as it unfolded. But she had also warned him that did not mean he shouldn't evaluate the situation between the exchange of blows. The problem now was that Monkey Fist was simply too powerful with the blade. He couldn't find a way to stop him, then an unbidden thought came to mind, one he almost had forgotten. It was something Nana had taught him.

* * *

Ron had been instructed to attack Nana with a weapon, in this case a boken. She easily defeated him and he lay sprawled in the sand which made up the horseshoes playing lot next to her duplex. The stakes had been removed temporarily for the purposes that they used the lot, the sandy surface making an excellent training area. As he turned over and got up, Nana came to him and handed him back the wooden practice sword.

"Tell me.", she asked, "What is the difference in fighting an enemy with a weapon and fighting one without weapons?"

Ron thought on it and said, "Well, it seems the enemy with the weapon is more dangerous. He can do a lot more damage. It would be a lot harder."

"I see.", answered Nana, "Yet I had no problem defeating you with a weapon."

"Shuh! You're a master, Sifu! How can it be that easy for me?"

Nana smiled easily at him...

"By understanding that weapons are nothing more than an extension of unarmed combat. You must learn how to use your natural weapons, your hands and feet, and your body itself, and most importantly, your mind and spirit. Once you have mastered that, it is a simple thing to apply those principles to an added weapon."

"So how does that work when I face somebody with a sword or, or whatever?"

"You have to see the principles in facing either are the same. In facing a man without a sword or facing one with a sword, there is no difference in how you defeat him. Do not try to defeat the sword. Defeat the opponent who is holding the sword."

Ron thought about that, then his face brightened, his mind grasping the concept, " I think I see. So, that's kind of like what Kim does. It doesn't make any difference whether its ray guns or lasers or bare hands. She goes in and takes them down the same."

Nana smiled again, "Exactly. She knows the principle and uses it instinctively to defeat her opponents. You must do the same."

"And can I apply it if I use weapons?"

"That is a different subject altogether. For this, you need no other weapons than what you naturally possess. You have feet and hands, body and mind. And do not forget also the mystical monkey power is also a weapon. If used wisely, it will serve you well."...

* * *

Ron shook the wool out of his eyes.

'I've got to quit doing that', he thought. But now, he knew what to do. He had been going at this all wrong. Both Monkey Fist and he were breathing heavily as they faced off back in the center of the room. The monkey master was preparing another charge, anticipating that Ron would continue to stay out of range by jumping away. Ron could see it in his stance. Somehow, Nana's words stayed with him, repeating themselves in his mind. He kept thinking, "Defeat the man, not the sword'. Closing his eyes momentarily, he saw it. He had to step into the sword, not away from it. Slowly, he opened his eyes again as the monkey ninjas were still chattering and shouting away at them both, rooting for their master.

Then, Ron's demeanor changed slightly. He felt a presence in his mind. It was familiar, but what?

It was Sensei!

Surprised, he could sense the old master's support suddenly swelling up, coming through him. The power! He could feel the urging, could hear him say it! 'Use the power!' Just as Nana said.

Ron straightened up and faced Monkey Fist squarely, silently challenging him to attack. The villain saw his sudden change in stance and was not one to waste an opportunity as he quickly charged, the Lotus Blade raised above him. Yelling another simian screech, he leaped high in the air, coming straight down at Ron, aiming to cut him in half right down through the center of his head. He was already thinking of the followup stroke for when his opponent would move off to one side, and that was his error. Ron did not move. He had closed his eyes once more and appeared to have entered a state of meditation.

To the monkey master's surprise, the blade whooshed rapidly through the air at his foe's crown, only to be stopped two inches short as Ron's palms clapped onto it from either side. Sailing through mid-air when he tried to strike him down, Monkey Fist landed hard in front of him, trying to wrench the blade away, but it would not budge. Suddenly, the teenager's body seemed to explode in a fury of blue light as the Mystical Monkey Power rushed out of him and began to course down the length of the Lotus Blade, the energy turning back to amber as it reached the blade. Monkey Fist screamed in horror and angrily launched all of his own rage through the sword, igniting the malevolent green magic from the corners of the room. The four evil idols immediately blazed alive again, pouring their energy in ragged beams at both combatants and the blade held between them. Green and amber power fought and flickered as the Lotus Blade dulled and brightened back and forth. The sword screamed with an iron hiss. Ron strained every muscle as he fought to bring the Mystical Monkey Power to bear, mentally pouring every ounce of it into the sword right back into Monkey Fist, feeling Sensei flooding it into him from afar. A frantic look began to take over the English lord's face. He redoubled his efforts, his whole body trembling from the strain as he tried to push the amber power back, to attack Ron's blue aura. But as the amber sheen inched closer and closer to the hilt, his eyes kept widening in horror. He yelled again and pressed even harder...

Suddenly the room darkened and a rumbling ran through the building. A dark green light appeared near the combatants and an image coalesced within it. The Dark Monk came into sharp focus, a sharp frown on his face as he began to chant and gesture. Green energy erupted from his hands slamming into the Lotus Blade with a punch Ron felt all the way to his soles. Slowly the amber sheen began to retreat up the blade, the blackness consuming it steadily as Monkey Fist roared with glee. The blade hissed and screamed its defiance, smoke rising from it. Ron felt himself being forced to his knees. But before he could be fully forced down, a bright light flashed into view and Ron could feel it immediately. It was Sensei! The Yamanuchi master now floated in midair on the other side of the battle from the Dark Monk, who looked up and simply laughed at him.

"You are no match for the power of the Dark, old man!", he yelled joyfully.

Sensei merely smiled and then raised his arms and began chanting. As he did, silver beams spilled out of his form and sailed toward the Lotus Blade, filling it with a sensuous high pitched hum and vibration. The blackness suddenly stopped spreading and began to retreat once more back toward the hilt.

The Dark Monk suddenly blanched in surprise and yelled, "No! It is not possible! You cannot do this!"

Sensei smiled and said softly, "Of course I can. Of the Dark, you must work alone, trusting no one. But of the Light, I can call my brothers to help."

Immediately, a line of figures started to coalesce behind the old master. They could not be fully discerned, but the power coming from them was unmistakable.

Fear entered the Dark Monk's Eyes, followed by a stunned look as he screamed, " No!... NO!..."

The amber sheen quickened its pace and pushed the blackness back toward the hilt of the blade. Monkey Fist frowned in surprise, looking toward the Dark Monk.

"Help Me!"

The Dark Monk frowned angrily at Fiske.

" _Fool!_ ", he snapped, as he tried to bring more green energy into play, but then the silver beams from Sensei attacked his image and with a groaning scream, the Dark Monk's aura broke up into fragments and faded away.

Monkey Fist screamed in anger himself, staring back at Ron and yelling, "Fine! I'll do it myself!"

...and failed. The amber power invaded the hilt of the Lotus Blade and touched Monkey Fist's hands. it exploded in a thundering blast, igniting a cascade of blinding light and deafening sound that reverberated throughout the palace. The shock wave blasted the room's furnishings, shattering them all into mangled pieces of wood, metal, shredded cloth and broken stone. Smoke filled the air as almost every combustible piece of fabric in the room became incinerated, small flames licking the stone and wood shards in multiple places. The walls cracked and the four evil idols, following the backlash of the amber power into each of their eyes, disintegrated violently with a resounding roar, their pedestals reduced to dust in the fury of the explosion, and every single monkey ninja was struck unconscious, their bodies laying completely inert all around the room.

Ron was on his knees, breathing deeply. The Lotus Blade lay in his hands, shining brightly once more, the amber sheen restored and the gentle hum softly filling the air again. Sensei's image was gone. He looked around and saw Monkey Fist lying on the floor a few feet away, the force of the explosion having knocked him off his feet. Ron got up slowly. His clothes were torn to shreds, half burned, and he found himself barely able to walk. There was a huge bruise forming on his face where the hilt of the sword had been driven into his head at one point in the battle. Holding the Lotus Blade firmly in his hands, he walked over to see if his defeated opponent was all right.

It appeared Monkey Fist did not suffer any further physical injuries, only those he had gotten during the fight, but he lay very still, barely moving, shivering in fright and cold.

Leaning down, Ron shook his arm and said, "Monkey Fist? Lord Fiske? Are you all right?"

The English lord turned his face towards him, but the man did not see him. His eyes held nothing but a vacant stare. He looked with a wild fear all around and started to shake, gibbering nonsense. He tucked himself into a fetal position away from Ron and mumbled hysterically, occasionally screeching with his simian laugh before receding back into delusional rants and further mumbling. Then Ron understood what Sensei had meant about only one of them surviving intact. Lord Fiske lived. But his mind was now gone. Briefly he thought to call for help, but that was not his utmost concern now. He would call Sensei and tell him what had happened and ask him to take care of the situation soon. Right now, the most important thing that was on his mind was his overriding need to get back to Kim.

His entire body aching, he got back up and looked around. Everything was quiet now save for the occasional snap of a burning piece of furniture or cloth. The air was filled with smoke and the reek of singed wood. Only the hum of the Lotus Blade was constant. But Ron felt something else was different. Suddenly, pictures, words, ideas appeared in his mind. Somebody was trying to talk to him, but it was strange. More images pushed themselves into Ron's consciousness. At first, they were blurred. Amber lights flashed through his consciousness, followed by gleaming silver. Sunlight over an ancient land bloomed like a wildflower into his vision, revealing an ancient temple and its courtyard where many white robed monks sat in meditation, the four original idols and the Lotus Blade itself before them. There followed scenes of combat, monk against monk, the battles overlaid by transparent images of the evil idols blasting away with their green magic. This faded until there was only the picture of a lone monk, white haired and aged, placing the Lotus Blade in a bare cave, covering it with a mound of stones and then leaving it there as the light faded into darkness.

The darkness overwhelmed him for a few moments, feeling cold and deserted, until another image slowly came into focus. He was able to recognize the landscape around the Yamanuchi mountain, and the scene shifted, homing in on the mountain and the school itself. It looked fresh and new as his view came closer and closer, centering on the entrance where there was a lone figure standing there. It was that of an old and dignified Japanese man, elegantly bearded, white haired, dressed in ancient armor, and bearing the Lotus Blade. With a gasp Ron realized it was Lord Toshimiru himself. Before he could think about it, the image faded and was replaced by yet another older, yet still elegant master, white haired though clean shaven. He too held the Lotus Blade. The image faded again, a little quicker, to be replaced by yet another powerful master, then another, and another, each holding the Lotus Blade. Before long, Ron realized he was being shown the entire line of masters of the Yamanuchi school through time. Now he understood. Sensei was not alone when he appeared. He had the spirits of every master of Yamanuchi with him, all of them fighting the Dark Monk with him, all of their power helping him defeat Fiske.

As each master appeared, an image rose in the background, transparent but easily seen. Sitting in the lotus position, a great simian figure with its brown coat and serene face held a look of wisdom that surprised him, gently smiling at him as if knowing all, then it looked down at its hands as it held something shining there. A small figure darted up its legs and body and perched on the simian's right shoulder, and Ron could see it was a small rat, happily looking at him and apparently chittering, although Ron couldn't hear anything.

He didn't understand what was happening to him, when in a flash of understanding he looked at the sword and saw that it was the Lotus Blade talking to him, filling his mind with the visions. Against the background of the Great Simian, the parade of the masters' images went on until it slowed to the final one, that of Sensei, sitting in Lotus position on the deck of a helicopter. The old master looked at him in his mind, smiled widely, and nodded slowly to him, greatly pleased at the success of his student before the image faded again, leaving only the Great Simian who now smiled even wider as he opened his cupped hands to reveal what was there. The light blossomed forth into a brilliant red hue as a serpentine form grew out of it, developed scales, a tail, and four great clawed limbs. Its massive horned head reared up, eyes burning with crimson fire as its tooth filled mouth opened and exhaled powerfully, filling the space before it with huge multicolored flames of argent, yellow, and scarlet. It stood forth in challenge, one open claw thrashing the air, roaring its message to all who would hear as the final image appeared over it, the red haired girl who stood tall and straight, shining brilliantly like the sun, gleaming almost like a goddess to all who would view her, to know she came with purpose, her emerald eyes glowing with power, with confidence, with righteousness, to accomplish her goal in the mission that would not be defeated. And it was that image of Kim that would not be extinguished from Ron's thoughts, the one that had always in the back of his mind, which had enabled him to win.

Through the entire conflict, Kim's image never left him. Now his urgent need to go back to her was communicated to the Lotus Blade, and it showed him how. He extended the blade and drew a circle in the air, creating the portal. A picture appeared in the portal and Ron could see into the inner sanctum of the Temple of the Tempus Simia. Horror abruptly filled his face at what he saw, and he dived into the portal, holding the Lotus Blade before him, and as soon as he was through, the portal blipped and disappeared...

* * *

Several hours later, Yamanuchi ninjas swarmed all over the palace, only to find all opposition had disappeared. Yori roamed through the wreckage of a large room which was the only one where any sign of life had been found. Unlike the other, intact rooms of this extensive mansion, this one was totally demolished. Small piles of burning wood and cloth had almost extinguished themselves and a pallor of smoke hung against the ceiling. The smell of the charred wreckage was overpowering. There were signs of monkey ninjas having been here, but they were long gone now. Only one living being was there. They found Monkey Fist lying next to the shredded wreck of an overturned sofa chair, squealing and gibbering madly, trying to pull himself inside and hide if any of the Yamanuchi people tried to approach him. He yowled insanely and hooted when anyone tried to speak to him.

Eventually, some of the ninjas managed to grab him, and as they tied him down to a stretcher and took him away, he screamed in rage and fear. Yori directed that they take him to the nearest hospital. There, they would call the authorities to take charge of him. There was no sign of Ron, but Yori smiled. She knew he had succeeded, that he was victorious. She knew he had the Lotus Blade now under his protection. But although he had defeated Monkey Fist, she knew this was not his final battle, that his next one would be much more dangerous. Sensei had explained to her that Ron-san's skills were sufficient now, as was his mental powers, but the most subtle aspect, the one that could not be taught was the critical factor. He would win only if he attained the true spirit of the power, the willingness of supreme sacrifice. Though Sensei was sure he had the heart and spirit to meet the challenge, there was truly no way for them to know yet if he had it within him for sure. Only facing the actual danger would tell that story. Still, he had the Lotus Blade, which Yori hoped would help. She fervently prayed he would survive to bring it back home.

* * *

The old woman walked steadily down the hall towards the engineering laboratory at Team Possible headquarters. She always got butterflies in her stomach whenever she did what she was about to do, and her son will probably take her to task for it yet again. But it wasn't the first time she had given him a prediction that came true. It was simply the Prophecy and the visions of her old friend. They were what she used to help guide events in her granddaughter's life. She would normally couch her remarks as casual statements so as not to arouse suspicion, and her suggestions were subtle. Doing it that way made them appear as good sense and James and her daughter-in-law always took them in stride and usually followed them. But after awhile, they did begin to wonder how she was right so many times. Fortunately, she never predicted anything bad, so they never were overly concerned about it, just calling her 'Kimmie's good luck charm'.

But not this time. This time she would not be able to be so indirect.

She approached the doorway and found him at a computer terminal just inside.

"James..."

Dr. Possible looked up from the monitor screen where he was working on the latest developments of the modifications he had designed for the new Super Blackhawk jet hybrid helicopters that had just arrived from the manufacturers. The engineering lab was rife with activity as his staff steadily worked to get the new technology for Team Possible into a state of readiness. On one workbench, three technicians had modified a diesel engine to be able to burn different kinds of fuel. Another bench was being worked on by several people hunched over printed circuit boards and computer parts in a project to better integrate communications between the headquarters complex and the mission operatives out in the field. But even among this din, that soft voice could still cut through to his ears.

"Mom!", he said, smiling, 'How are you doing?"

He got up and went to her, giving her a hug and kiss, then frowned when he saw the concern on her face.

"What is it, Mom?"

Nana looked at him with resignation and said, "You will need to get ready soon."

Puzzled, he asked, "Ready? Ready for what?"

"I don't know exactly. But it will be soon."

James became fearful.

"This is something bad?"

"I'm afraid so."

His face went totally white, "Mom! Not Kimmie!"

Quickly she shook her head, "No, James. It won't be Kimberly. It's Ronald."

"Ronald?", he said, "But what? How? Will he be okay?"

She shook her head again, "I can't say for sure. I only know it will happen."

"What? What will happen?"

Nana closed her eyes and grimly shook her head in ignorance.

Grimacing with worry, Dr. Possible said, "Mom, you're scaring me again, telling me these 'psychic' predictions of yours."

"I'm not psychic, James. ", she said, "You know that."

"I don't know, Mom. You sure fool me every time you do this. But is there any more you can tell me?"

"I'm sorry, son. But it's the best I can do."

"But what about the other times.", he asked, "You knew exactly when Kimmie was going to be born, to the hour. You knew when she would meet Ron, when she would start showing all the martial art moves, all the gymnastic ability. You even predicted she would start saving the world! Can't you tell me more than just to get ready?"

"Not this time, son. This is all I was able to sense."

"Will Ron be alive?"

Nana's face was tense, "I don't know, James. I do know, he will be hurt. All I can say is you need to be ready to help when the planes come back from the Africa mission."

"This is going to just kill Kimmie."

Nana slowly nodded, "I know. She's going to need all of us to help her through this."

"Especially now.", he said, "She really hasn't been quite herself for awhile."

"I have seen it, James. She's been having problems since last spring."

Dr. Possible frowned, muttering, "Since those blasted diablos."

"Yes.", replied his mother, "She has gotten better, but..."

"I've got to warn...", he said, then stopped, thinking now of how he was going to tell his wife about this, "I'm going to the medical wards. I'll be right back."

Nana replied, "I'll be here."

"We'll be ready, Mom. I just hope Kimmie will be strong enough to take whatever's coming.", he said as he headed out the door.

Nana Possible stood there and watched him march down the hall.

'I hope so too, son.', she thought to herself, 'She's been lost ever since the end of her last school year, and I know the only thing that may galvanize her to find herself again is losing the one person in the world that matters more to her than life itself, the boy she loves.'

And she silently cried, wishing her granddaughter's salvation didn't have to come at such a heavy price.


	18. Chapter 18

The green fireball exploded with the blinding energy of a thousand suns, searing Kim's vision and leaving nothing else in her sight, numbing every sense in her body as the burning light enveloped her. The last thing she could sense was Jos screaming in the distance. And then it was gone. There was nothing. No light. No flames. No feeling, no pain. For a moment she thought she was floating, like she was in some other dimension. Was she dead? It sure felt completely different from what she expected. She didn't even feel anything hit her. She was numb, no feeling at all, no sight, no hearing, no touch. But that didn't seem right. So why couldn't she sense anything? She couldn't see, feel, couldn't hear... ... or could she?

At first there was no sound, but then gradually, little by little, a weird noise filtered through. It was a rumbling sound, like thunder, soon joined by the cracking of stone. Tingling ran down her spine, surprising her. How did that happen? She realized she had passed out, only for a moment, but it was enough to disorient her. All of a sudden she could feel her limbs, and she tried to move. She was shocked by the exquisite torture that erupted from her ribs and legs, pain racking her entire body. She was trapped, unable to move. Something massive, and heavy, had her pinned down. A soft steady hum rose through the air, overtaking everything else, coming to the forefront of her attention. She thought she was blind, until she realized her eyes were closed. When Kim opened them, she cried out in wonder.

Between her and Shego was the same portal through which Monkey Fist had kidnapped Ron. Both of them had disappeared into that dimensional door, but now only one returned, and she cried out again, this time in relief, seeing her prayers had been answered. Ron held the Lotus Blade before him, and the humming she heard came from that vibrating sword. He was straining every muscle as he wielded it like a shield against the globe of burning green fire, now easily ten feet in diameter, wriggling, thrashing, trying to find its way past the barrier the sword had created in front of it. He pushed forward as if into a hurricane wind, the sword flashing brilliantly white as it bit into the green plasma meant to destroy her, finally wrestling it under control, shrinking it steadily, and swallowing it into the bright metal. The malevolent energy flared and popped, whistling and screeching in its failing effort as it collapsed into the enlarging silver-white glow of the blade until it was completely engulfed.

Everything went quiet and dim. The only thing Kim heard was Ron's ragged breathing.

Ron stood between Kim and Shego, bearing the sword before him, panting hard, a quiet look of determination on his face as he stared Shego down, his teeth gritted, before briefly letting the sword drop down from a guarding position and looking down, trying to catch his breath. Sensing his return, Rufus squeaked and left Jos, jumping back onto Ron and ducking into what was left of his pocket as soon as he could. Shocked as well, Shego did nothing but stand there, confused, her blurred eyes dead and conflicted. She didn't seem to comprehend what had just happened, and the fact he had totally prevented her from destroying Kim didn't really seem to register. She tried to focus on her new opponent and understand how in blazes the buffoon managed to completely obliterate her attack. Ron turned and faced her again as his breathing slowed, coming under control, clearly intending to stop her.

"Oh my God! _Ron! No_...", Kim cried out weakly.

He looked worse than she did, his clothes in shreds. He had numerous bloody cuts and wounds, some still bleeding. There was a terrible slash on his belly where Monkey Fist apparently scored a wicked cut, a seriously painful bruise on his forehead, and Kim could see he was limping. Yet he stood his ground, giving no sign of weakness in his stance as he faced Shego. Somehow, some way, Kim realized, he had beat Monkey Fist. He was victorious and bearing the Lotus Blade. Seeing Shego confused, Ron looked around to get his surroundings into perspective, and he could hear Jos groaning somewhere.

Seeing her off to one side of Shego, he yelled, " _Jos! Get over here! Now_!"

Still stunned, the girl rose up slowly, pain erupting with every move, and managed a slow halting walk towards him. He could see she had a small head wound just above her right eyebrow and a few bruises, but seemed all right otherwise. She glanced fearfully at Shego, but the woman paid no heed to her at all. She reached him without incident, grabbing onto his arm for support as he guided her behind him. Ron didn't take his eyes off Shego the entire time. She had completely ignored the girl, like Jos didn't even exist anymore. Instead, Shego fixed her gaze on him, that dead uncomprehending look still in her eyes. Suddenly, she winced in pain and starting rubbing her head with her hands. She turned to one side leaning against a wall in agony, slowly moaning in a soft wail to herself. Jos got her feet under her, finally able to stand on her own. Seeing an opportunity as Shego was not then paying attention to them, Ron looked around for Kim. When he saw her, he blanched...

"Kim!", he cried out, immediately running to her, followed slowly by Jos. Kim was still trapped in the debris of the broken wall, clearly hurting. Her face turn ashen from distress, he furiously dug at the stone shards and boulders, clearing them away from her as fast as he could, ignoring the pain it caused his hands and arms. He could see how badly beaten and bruised she was, already turning purple over much of her skin, her limbs starting to swell. She was bleeding from her cuts. Every breath she took tortured her.

"I think my ribs are broken, Ron!", she cried out, wincing as he moved the rubble off of her.

"Don't worry! I'll get you out!", he said, working savagely to clear the heavy rocks away.

The temple suddenly trembled and a deeper rumble started coming up out of the ground. Kim screamed from the pain the shifting rocks caused against her ribs. As he worked to free her, Ron looked at the roof and saw it had partially collapsed, looking like it was going to get worse soon. It wouldn't be long before it all came crashing down.

He cleared the bigger wall fragments away enough to get to her, then stooped down and picked her up. Jos, doing better with each passing minute, was helping as much as she could by helping to clear away the scree around Kim when she suddenly yelped. Ron turned with Kim in his arms and looked at what had drawn the girl's attention, seeing a shadow loomed over them.

Standing in the doorway, barring their escape, Shego had gotten over her momentary pain and confusion. She had that look of madness back on her face, her attention fully restored, her hands once more aglow with green plasma. Kim stared at her apprehensively. She had faced Shego many times and confronted her like this, either angry, gloating, or irritated. But this was different. This was pure animal rage.

"You didn't think you were going to leave that easily now, were you?", she purred.

Wincing from the pain it caused her, Kim shouted, "Shego! This is no time for a fight! You heard Drakken! The building's about to blow!"

Shego laughed maniacally.

Still eyeing their foe, Ron said to Kim, "There is no way she would normally risk staying here in this danger! She is way out of her head!"

Jos growled angrily, impatient. She smartly stepped up to confront Shego again, but stopped when Kim gasped in fear for her.

Ron yelled, "No, Jos! You can't take her!"

A snarl on her face, Jos refused to move out of the way, never taking her eyes off Shego as she yelled, "But somebody has to do it! You've got to help Kim!"

"No!" Ron yelled back, "You have to help Kim. Get her out of the way. I'll take care of Shego."

Surprised, Jos looked back at him, eyes wide open. Kim also looked up at him in pain and fright.

"Ron! No! You can't! I know you've gotten better! Henchmen and synthodrones, even Monkey Fist are one thing! But not her! Not now!"

He gazed at her, seeing the fear for him in her eyes, those green orbs so concerned, so full of emotion, and he could see.

He could see...

Now he understood more of what the Lotus Blade had gifted to him, this new ability of insight, and as he looked into her eyes it was like her entire being was there, her essence, her heart, her soul, and for the first time, he could see how much she loved him. He always felt she did, but now he could see it so much clearly because of what the Lotus Blade had done. The empathic link it had given him could feel her coming through so powerfully, and it shook him to his core.

Ron felt a thrill run through him, like Fate and Providence had just enveloped and sanctified him. It was the vindication of the only reason he ever needed for his entire existence. And he knew now that with her, he could do anything.

Softly, he said, "Trust me."

Time stood still for Kim, frozen in the moment, lost in his eyes. They were like velvet and iron. His face was so peaceful and yet so determined. She was mildly surprised to think she had never seen him look so strong, so confident. Even in the fix she was in right now, she wasn't that worried about taking down Shego, because she knew she was better. Even with her ribs broken, she thought even now she could find a way to do it. It was not bravery so much, but confidence. The problem was she didn't really have it, and she knew it.

But Ron! Sometimes he would get into crazy situations like this, in ignorance, in desperation, in the absence of anything better to do. Killigan and his goons were one thing, but Shego? As dangerous as she was now? To intentionally to go into a battle against someone he had never before had a hope in the world of defeating? She had never seen bravery like this in anyone, certainly not herself!

Yet, something told her, he was ready. He really was ready. Whatever he had been through had changed him. He was... ...greater now.

'No!', she thought, 'Wait! I can't be sure he's up to it! I'm the one who can do it all! I have to do this! Somehow. Somehow. But...'

She knew she had failed. She knew now she no longer could. It made her ache horrendously as she stared at his eyes, looking for absolution of her sin, of failing, and for the first time truly saw how much he still believed in her, even now. It was immeasurable. The trust he had, the faith. Yes, he believed. She knew then she had no choice. They gazed at each other, so much more passing between them than just seeing. With that, she surrendered herself to his trust. He gave her no choice. The force of his confidence in her was too overwhelming, and the love she had for him made any other course unthinkable. There was another explosion in the temple and a spray of boulders fell around them. This brought her out of her lull back to the present. She still looked worried, but said nothing more, looking back at Shego and then to him, and slowly nodded. Jos looked unsure, but Ron was second in command, and Kim wasn't disagreeing with his orders so she helped when he put her down and let her lean onto her younger cousin.

"Get her out of here.", he said calmly.

Ron turned and faced Shego, his face a stone blank. But though he showed no sign of it, he was still scared out of his gourd. Yes, he knew he could do this. But how? He had no idea. Fear unexpectedly began to eat him up inside, devilishly trying to make him break and run. Normally it would have succeeded. After all, running and screaming in fear was what made it possible for him to help Kim with the missions. What Kim had said before was right. Synthodrones, henchmen, even Monkey Fist were one thing, but this was Shego. Nobody beat Shego, except Kim. His sense of self-preservation railed at his sanity, making it try to break down like a gibbering animal, and the only things that prevented him from running like that screaming maniac were Sensei's words. Sensei's and Nana's. He recalled their voices, calming and reassuring, showing him how to control the fear. It had trouble working until he remembered Kim's love for him shining through her eyes. Somehow, it was enough. He became very serene in his stance.

Ron quietly walked up a few steps and faced Shego head on. Slowly, he laid the Lotus Blade on the ground beside him, knowing he would not need it just then. Again, he had no idea how he knew. He just did. He stood, unmoving, directly between her and the girl who was now his life.

Shego's eyebrows raised up when she realized what he intended to do, and she giggled, "You? The buffoon? Pu-lease! Do you have a death wish or something? If you do, it is sooo not a problem!"

Silent, he quietly assumed a defensive back stance, knife hands on guard.

"I will not let you hurt her again.", he said softly, barely audible. She noted the rock hard tone of his voice, but it did not impress her.

"There is no way you can beat me, sidekick."

"Today, I can."

Shego cocked her head at him, curious, "Are you that whack? Do you have any idea how easy it's going to be for me to destroy you?"

He only smiled at her, waving her to come on.

"Come and get me then.", he teased, "If you think you can do it."

Shego frowned, her smile disappearing quickly. Was he was taunting her now? This buffoon? This incompetent nobody? Quickly she formed a ball of plasma, intending to just wipe him out of existence, but then she thought, no.

He didn't deserve to get off that easy. She would wipe the floor with him all right, but he would pay her with pain.

Angry and sneering, she snuffed out the glow of her hands and balled them up. She didn't need to compliment this pathetic idiot with anything more than one good physically offensive technique. One solid kick or punch was more than enough to squash the incompetent fool, if he didn't run first.

"You are _sooooo_ going to regret this, 'Ronald'.", she said caustically, then smiled as she added, "If you live long enough..."

She walked forward, casually closing the distance between them. He didn't move. Just as she got within a few feet, she blurred into action, moving so fast she almost wasn't seen, launching a lightning quick technique faster than he could respond.

A wild scream erupted from Ron's throat, and there was the solid smack of the sidekick hitting hard flesh. There was a thundering boom against a wall that was behind him so harsh and crackling, one could literally hear the impression left in the stone from a body that hit it and fell to the floor.

But it was Shego who looked up astonished from the ground, not believing how the buffoon sidestepped her own strike and then sidekicked her himself solidly into that back wall.

" _What the ...?_ ", she yelled, angrily rising, "When did you learn that?"

He stayed in a back stance, facing her, still on guard.

"Let's just say, I've had enough of being the buffoon.", he replied in that soft stony voice.

Jos said surreptitiously in the back as she helped Kim towards the entrance, "Yeah, that's my job now."

Glaring, Kim growled, " Jos!"

"Yeah, I know. Zip it.", Jos said contritely.

Shego stood up, rage filling her eyes.

"So, big boy.", she snarled angrily, "You think you got what it takes to play in the big leagues, huh? We'll just see about that!"

She decided to just end it, igniting another fireball in her hands. But as she made it grow, she saw Ron change his stance, assuming a tiger form. He smiled.

Shego hesitated.

Ron smiled, "You can try it, but it won't work. I can easily avoid it. What's the matter, Shego? Can't you take out the buffoon just with your fighting chops? Seems pretty lame to me."

Shego became enraged. As she did, the plasma began to wink out and break down. Impatiently she shot it at the floor of the ceiling, blowing chunks of rock away from it, straight at Ron. Ron quickly side stepped them. Shego tried again to bring the plasma on, but had trouble with it. Finally she just screamed in frustration and shut it down, deciding to take Ron at his word and simply beat him to a pulp. Deep down, she knew she needed to calm down. She didn't understand her rage sometimes. It was so overpowering. She needed to get her powers back.

She started to circle him warily. Jos helped Kim hobble to the entrance. The temple groaned again, its walls cracking more and the floor began to buckle. Ron stood between Shego and the girls.

Kim looked back at him and shouted in pain and uncertainty, "Ron! You've got to get out of here! You don't have to take her on now!"

She groaned in pain, then looked back at him again, shouting, "Ron, you have to know! I need to tell you. I... ...I..."

She lost her words when he looked back at her with a smile and a serenity that took her breath away.

"I can do this, Kim.", he said, "If ever you believed in me, please. This is the time to have faith."

Her awe silenced her. She remained shaken and scared for him. But the look in his eyes had found its mark. Then the breaking up of the temple woke her back up.

"Okay, Ron!", she cried out, "But you do what you have to do and get back home! Safe! That's an order! Understand!"

"Loud and clear, K.P!", he said confidently, "Now, Jos! Get her out of here!"

Jos began to help her out through the entrance, practically dragging her. Kim tried to hold back still trying to talk to Ron. Her strength started giving out and she could barely whisper.

"Ron! Ron! You have to know! I love you!"

He didn't hear her, and she realized her voice did not carry. He had turned and put his full attention on Shego. The girls had limped quickly out of the entrance, leaving Shego and Ron facing each other as more stone fragments tumbled around them. Shego's face was contorted in rage. Her goal was still to destroy Kim, but the only thing she was interested in right at the moment was destroying the buffoon who had just embarrassed her.

"Okay, loser!", she rasped, "You asked for it!"

Concentrating, she was glad to see her hands light up and she fired one huge bolt of green energy right at him, or so she thought. He wasn't there. He moved out of the way so fast that she didn't catch where he went. She had to waste precious time finding him again. Darting to the left Ron had gauged her response as she fired off another huge blast into the floor beneath him just after he jumped up clear again. Fragments of rock spewed up and cut him slightly as he rebounded off a wall and towards a large chunk flying by him. In midair he kicked it right back at Shego. She had to spent her next blast disintegrating that rock as he hit the floor lightly with both feet again and then sprang right at her. Desperately, she tried to nail him with her next blast, but mistimed it, firing too late. That cost her as Ron landed directly in front and stunned her with a right cross.

Shego reeled back but kept turning and tried to back kick him out of the way. He shifted enough to let the kick slide by him as he grabbed her leg and jerked her off balance. She stumbled forward as he grabbed a flailing arm and then pulled her into a Judo hip throw, body slamming her onto the ground. But she anticipated this, breaking her fall with her other arm, and immediately lashing out with a front kick into his forehead, knocking him away. He staggered back as she executed a hand spring back into a defensive stance. Distance re-established between them, she fired off another plasma bolt.

Ron recovered in time and bounded out of the way again, landing near the Lotus Blade. The brief respite didn't last long. Shego laughed and renewed her plasma energy. She fired off another bolt. Ron ducked but was taken off guard as the blast wasn't aimed at him. It was aimed at the sword. The Lotus Blade was blown halfway across the chamber by the blast as it dug into the ground between Ron and where Kim and Jos had left. Ron grunted hard from the shards stinging his face and hands. He brought his arms up to shield himself and prepared to jump again, but Shego had the initiative. She again fired off a huge plasma ball before Ron could get out the way and he fell hard backwards as the gleaming ball of molten light enveloped him. A scream came from the entrance and Shego turned to see Kim and Jos still there, Kim's face filled with horror at what she saw. Another scream came from the churning green plasma and Shego looked back at it in malevolent glee, wanting to see the buffoon writhe in agony before he was burned to nothingness.

Her demonic grin quickly disappeared as blue streaks of light shot out of the roiling plasma. Shapes emitted from the light, writhing, fighting, evolving into phantom monkey shapes. More screams filled the air, but they weren't Stoppable's. They weren't even human. They were simian. They became louder as more and more light beams streamed out of the plasma breaking it up into fragments, wrapping the green miasma up into pockets until they shriveled and tore themselves apart from the strain. A thunderclap resounded throughout the chamber, and all that was left was Ron standing with his hands pressed together, the blue aura of the Mystical Monkey Power enveloping and protecting him. His eyes bore straight ahead, burning Shego's retinas with the proof of her failure, that she could not defeat him this way. Her eyes reddening back to madness, Shego screamed in rage and fired another huge blast of plasma at Ron. He didn't move, the verdant lava being swallowed by the cool blue light of the sphere. She started to do it again, except suddenly the power wouldn't come, again! This only enraged her further as she tried harder and harder to do it. She realized her rage was too out of control, preventing it. In one part of her mind, she understood it required all of her concentration to be able to create that glow, but her rage was overpowering all reason now, and she knew she couldn't do it. Another side of her just didn't care.

Screaming in aggravation, she extinguished what few tendrils of power she had managed and charged Ron again. Ron waited quietly, letting the blue glow of his power release and fade away. Shego crashed into him, raging maniacally as they grappled in direct combat. Though surprised at his new skills, the thought of not defeating the buffoon in a one on one fight never entered her mind. She was sure his luck couldn't last. It was only a matter of time, because there was no way he could match her fighting skills. She would take him out and then finish off her primary target, Kim Possible, who so conveniently was sticking around for her. But she soon started to get frustrated, because it just wasn't happening. The buffoon wasn't cooperating, and then he started getting some punches through to her. Shego was startled as Ron suddenly moved like lightning, coming at her from every direction, blocking her every strike, countering her every defense, and slipping through with his own attacks. Unexpectedly, he had her backing up. She became totally exasperated, thinking, 'Where and when did he learn all of this? How could this flake become such a dangerous opponent?'

She had no time to answer those questions because in the next moment she was opened up and vulnerable. He slammed her with a solid punch to the solar plexus. Knocked back three feet, she went down, the breath wheezing out of her. Struggling to get up, she tried to concentrate again on forming more green plasma, and somehow succeeded. She threw another couple of bolts at him, but he sidestepped the weak blasts as easily as dancing a waltz and came through with a round house kick to the face. She bent to the side from the blow and tried to recover, but it was far too late as Ron jumped and whirled, delivering a flying wheel kick that rammed her in the right temple, lifting her completely off the ground. Twenty feet away, she landed hard, unconscious.

"Oh, my God! Ron!", Someone breathlessly whispered.

He turned. Kim and Jos were still at the entrance, their eyes wide open in surprise. The temple was still grumbling in its death throes, pieces of it continuing to fall all around them. Shego's firing off more of her plasma bolts only accelerated the break up of the building.

Ron became angry, "Jos! I told you to get her out of here!"

"She wouldn't let me!", the girl cried out.

"Don't blame her!", said Kim, " I told her I had to stay. It's not that I didn't trust you. But I had to stay and watch. Ron! That was so... ...I can hardly believe! Is that what Sensei taught you? How to summon the power?"

Ron looked at her pensively, nodding, "It felt right. I knew I needed it, so I called, and it came."

Unable to answer, Kim stared at him in wonder.

"How many more heart attacks are you going to give me with these surprises of yours?", she finally cried, her voice still barely audible.

He sighed, and came to her, hugging her fiercely. It hurt, but she didn't complain a bit, hugging him as hard as she could in return.

"Hopefully, as long as they're good ones, I'll keep trying.", he answered.

He turned to Jos.

"Go and get the hovercraft! Bring it over and we'll all get out of here! I'll go and get Shego!"

"But she's the enemy!"

"I can't leave her to die like this!"

Stunned again, Kim looked at him again in sheer awe, knowing full well now that her love was not misplaced, so proud that he was doing the hero thing the right way. He had come full circle, her full equal...

Jos said, "Okay, I'll be back."

She rushed out the door. But as soon as she cleared it, the doorway collapsed.

"Oh great! Now what?", said Ron as he picked up Kim, still to weak to walk, and carried her away from the falling debris, detouring just long enough to recover the Lotus Blade.

"She'll just have to come in another way! The hole in the roof should do! It's getting bigger by the moment!", Kim exclaimed.

Another explosion shook the temple. This was a major one as the temple floor shifted again, tilting further to one side. It was also closer and the structure shook even worse. Ron barely kept his balance as he skated across the broken stone surface towards the altar. He put Kim down there and went to collect Shego's inert body.

"Never thought I'd ever do this.", he said when he got back.

"Me neither.", she replied softly, "But you don't know how proud of you I am right now that you did."

Ron smiled, "Yeah, well, maybe I do know a little bit. Thanks."

"Ron, I've got to tell you. I need you to know..."

A loud crack abruptly silenced her. They both looked up and saw the roof starting to cave in.

"Not right now, Kim!", Ron yelled, "Jos!"

Somehow evading the falling boulders, Jos flew the small hovercraft through the hole in the ceiling down to them. Large chunks of heavy stone were falling far too close, threatening to instantly crush them. Ron quickly loaded Kim into the hovercraft, squeezed Shego's body into the back, and strapped the Lotus Blade to the side. But the hovercraft was only meant to carry two people. They could cram in three, like before, but that was it. All he could do was hang off the side of the craft. The craft could only rattle and shake, straining to rise, unable to do it. It barely got thirty feet off the ground, not even reaching the hole in the roof. They realized it couldn't handle the weight. The engines labored in vain, screaming as Jos tried to coax every erg of power out of the jet fans with everything she could think of doing. It wasn't enough. The craft just couldn't carry all of them.

"We're not going to make it!", cried Jos, "We've got to lighten the load! You've got to dump Shego!"

"Can't do it, Jos! She may be the enemy! But even she doesn't deserve this!"

"Ron!" cried Kim, "We've got to do something! We won't make it out of here!"

He looked down as another two ton stone barely missed flattening the hovercraft. And time stood still again...

This was the moment...

This was the actual moment he had feared, the one Sensei had shown him so long ago at the Yamanuchi school. The visions flashed through his mind once more, the sense of falling, the feeling of the rock closing in on him, running down the corridor as the ceiling and walls collapsed upon him into that small room which had haunted him ever since he saw it in his mind's eye, laying on the pile of rubble, broken and losing consciousness. He had to do it. It was the only way to save Kim, to get a chance to save them all. No other scenario that Sensei had shown him showed her surviving. And knowing that it would save Kim, and that it was the only choice he had, he knew what he had to do. Of all of them, he was the only one who had any chance of making it down there, small as it was.

And he knew, he still had to tell her how he felt, no matter what. It was the right thing to do. He knew...

He looked at the girls and yelled above the noise, "Listen! Get back to base camp! Get yourself fixed up! I'll be along later! I promise!"

The color drained from Kim's face, " _Ron! No!_ "

Ron hung on with one hand. With the other he pulled the Star of David from around his neck and tossed it at her.

"I can make it, Kim!", he cried out frantically, "And I need you to be safe. You hear me? I need you to be safe! This is the only way to get you out! Hold on to that for me. I'll be back for it! I promise you! And remember this, Kim! I lo...!"

He was cut off as a boulder banged the hovercraft, landing right next to him and knocking him off the side, plummeting him down to the temple floor.

Kim was screaming at him, " _Ron! Come back! Nobody can make it out of this! This is really impossible!_ "

Kim froze. What did he say? It made her hesitate. Did he really love her after all? Suddenly energized, she ripped off her restraints and tried to jump out, reaching out for him. Gasping, Jos realized what Ron had wanted. She lunged and grabbed Kim, her cousin's hesitation having given her the opportunity, though she still was barely able to shove her back into the seat as Kim kept screaming out to Ron, Jos holding her cousin in place while she buckled the restraints back onto her. In her injured state. Kim couldn't fight back.

Ron fell down onto the dais of the altar, landing on his feet. Suddenly lightened, the hovercraft took off like a shot out of the roof of the collapsing temple and Jos sped away. The last sight Kim had of him was his running off to the inside just as another giant rock smashed the dais where he landed. She still fought to get up and take the controls, weakly fumbling at her restraints, yelling at Jos to go back and get Ron, her voice shrieking, but the jolting of the hovercraft and her injuries kept her from doing more. All she could do then was turn around and try to spot Ron.

Too late, the temple broke completely apart with a tremendous roar. In less than a minute, it collapsed upon itself as more explosions shook the mound of broken stone where it had previously stood unscathed for centuries until there was nothing but a vacuum filled with debris. The temple was no longer there, only a giant sink hole twenty feet deep filled with rubble at the bottom. Paralyzed, Kim watched in horror as the sequential explosions tore the temple apart bit by bit, the dust rising above it like a mushroom cloud . When it had quieted down and the air had cleared enough to see, Kim saw there was nothing left to save.

She stared, terror stricken at the devastation behind her, holding Ron's Star of David in a death grip in her hands, gasping her grief out in long breaths. She screamed in pain as she buried her head into her tensed fists. Jos sped the hovercraft off at maximum thrust, but it was only moments later when they were hit from behind by a laser bolt. The flaps were damaged, causing the craft to veer off to the right and invert itself. Jos struggled to get the whining engines back under control, barely hanging on enough to keep from falling out as the craft turned upside down. Kim gripped her chair tenaciously, making sure she still had Ron's Star, but Shego's unconscious form fell out. Below them, she saw Drakken had maneuvered his air car and positioned himself to catch his sidekick's body, Killigan grabbing her as they passed below the hovercraft. Straining at the controls, Jos finally righted the hovercraft and positioned herself to defend against another attack, triggering the defensive shields to ready status, but Drakken didn't take an offensive posture. All he did was cruise close to them and gloat. Laughing softly, he stared straight into Kim's eyes, ecstatic at how afraid and so alone she looked. So many times he had faced her before, and always she had the confidence, the poise, the assurance in her gaze as his plans frustratingly failed again and again. All that was gone now from that frightened, shocked face. He knew he had his victory, at long last.

"Farewell, Kim Possible!" he shouted gleefully at her, "You are finally, truly, alone! Your 'sidekick' shall never return to foil my plans! Now, you really cannot stop me! Until the next time, for then I shall, finally, win!"

Laughing victoriously, he flew away at maximum speed, leaving them hovering in the air. Kim and Jos floated there, stunned and shaken, Kim was paralyzed with grief and shock, staring at the retreating air car before collapsing into a messy heap in her chair and sobbing. She wouldn't move, unable to speak or act. Jos was unsure of what to do. Then she remembered she had her orders from Ron, to get Kim out of there and back to safety. So she grit her teeth, hid the tears in her eyes, and limped the hovercraft back to the waiting plane that would take them home to Middleton.

* * *

Kim was catatonic. Jos literally had to guide her to a chair in the lead jet when they landed the hovercraft. By that time, the ninja teams had routed the enemy henchmen despite their numbers and had captured the majority of them, the rest having escaped into the jungle. Jos seated her cousin and strapped her in as the lead ninja operative, accompanied by several of his squad leaders, followed behind and came onto the deck.

"Commander.", he said, "There are still enemy henchmen in the jungle, trying to approach and attack the planes. Do you have orders?"

He waited patiently as Kim looked up slowly and blinked at him, not answering.

"Commander?"

Kim looked away, unable to respond. Jos put a hand on her shoulder.

"Kim.", she said tentatively.

He cousin reacted by curling up in a ball and burying her head in her arms.

"I... ...I can't right now, Jos.", she whispered, "Not now. I can't"

"But Kim, there are things..."

Kim didn't move, saying nothing more.

Jos blinked and looked away, her brow wrinkled. Then she straightened and took a deep breath, turning around and looking at the ninja team leader. The ninja, named Takamura, nodded to himself, seeing the situation.

He turned to a subordinate behind him and said, "Until the Commander decides, we must stay here and finish the original mission. There are valuable prisoners among the enemy we must capture and interrogate."

Jos frowned and said, "Wait a minute, there! We don't need to do that. The important thing is to get Kim back home. And we gotta get help out here for Ron!"

Takamura turned sharply on her, an impatient tone in his voice, "You know as well as I, young one. The Chosen One could not have survived the collapse of the temple. What we must do is gather intelligence where the commander's enemies have fled so that we may pursue them. That is still the primary mission."

"That's what we got Wade for!", Jos exclaimed in alarm, "This is more important!"

Takamura dismissed her with a wave of his hand, "I will not argue this with you, child!"

He turned to exit the jet with his team members. He was stopped abruptly when Jos vaulted into a spring jump and landed in front of him, blocking his way to the hatch.

"You wanna bet?", she shouted at him, "Your Commander's been injured! She's got to be taken back! So, I'm taking over command until we get back to home base!"

The ninjas all looked at her skeptically as Takamura became angry, "You are not in the chain in command, young one! You do not have the combat skills or the training. Only Miss Possible is..."

"I ain't got no time for this foolishness right now!" growled Jos, her eyes flashing, "We're going back! Now!"

The ninja stood tall and stared her down, "No! You are not qualified!"

He grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her roughly to one side, thrusting her out of his way, and squawked in shock as the fourteen year old girl nailed him with a solar plexus spear hand strike followed by a wrist lock and arm twist, flipping the ninja over her shoulder to the floor of the plane, the deck resounding with a reverberating boom as his body hit it. Pulling his arm straight with her hands locked onto his wrist and thumb, she twisted the limb hard as she dug her heel into his arm pit, making Takamura grunt painfully.

"Does this look like I got the skills, Mister?", she snarled, "Are you convinced? Because if you ain't, I swear you're gonna feel like you got trampled by a two ton Brahma bull for a month of Sundays before I'm through with you! Ya hear? She's my cousin! _Who in blazes d'ya think trained me in the first place?_ "

Wide eyed, the team leader looked up at her from the deck. His squad leaders were so surprised by her speed, they could not act in time and stood there, impotent, the shock showing in their eyes.

"Well?", yelled Jos, "What's it gonna be?"

Takamura looked at her, then back at his subordinates.

One of them said almost reverently, "She is... ...blood of the dragon."

A voice came from behind her, "Jos."

Jos looked back and saw Kim had raised her head up, looking at her with half-closed eyes.

"Let him go, Jos."

Still irritated, Jos snorted as she released her hold on the team leader. The ninja slowly got back up, rubbing his shoulder and arm trying to get the feeling back in it.

"Takamura-San.", Kim said in an almost inaudible voice, "Do as she says."

His attitude immediately changing, he came to attention, giving her a short clipped bow as Kim sunk her head back into her arms. Then he turned to Jos formally, and gave her the same salute.

"What are your orders, Commander?", he said respectfully when he finally got his voice back.

Jos looked back briefly at Kim, but she had buried her head into the head rest, her arms over her head again, not paying attention anymore. She turned back to the ninja team leader.

"How close are them henchmen?", she asked.

"I would say about ten minutes away."

"How soon can we take off, then?"

"Immediately. But some of those henchmen may make valuable prisoners."

Jos shook her head, "Nope. Right now they're about as valuable to me as a gelding at a stud farm. It's more important to get my cousin here back home and get her treated."

"But what of Ron-San? Do you truly think we have a chance to recover him?"

"I don't care how bad it looks! We're going to try. I gotta call my uncle and get him out here to do the work."

Takamura gave her a short nod in acknowledgment.

"Very well. What is your plan, Commander?"

Jos' eyes narrowed as she considered the question.

"Can you take care of them rogue henchmen with one team?"

He considered this thoughtfully for a moment before answering.

"Without having to guard the jets, it would be easier. I believe so, Commander."

"Okay. You take one team and get them henchmen neutralized, then set up a perimeter around the site of that temple. Make sure nothing, and I mean nothing, disturbs it until headquarters sends out a team to take over the recovery mission. The other two teams can herd the prisoners you got now back to base. You got that?"

"Yes, Commander!"

"Right. Now make darn good and sure that this place stays quieter than a church on Saturday night. And then I don't want nothing moving out there in that pit faster than molasses in January. You got that?"

The ninja blinked, not quite grasping the references, but he did get the meaning.

He nodded quickly, then said, "I understand."

"Good! Now get going.", she said, "We all got work to do. Tell the pilots to take off immediately for home base as soon as they're ready."

"At once, Commander!"

The team leader, followed by his subordinates, bounded out of the plane and started barking orders. Soon the ninja team of the first jet emptied out to stay in the area. The others guided their prisoners on board the other two craft and all three jets lined up on the landing strip and were in the air within fifteen minutes. Jos called home base as soon as she was in range, trying to raise someone. She finally got her uncle, telling him everything that had happened, including what happened to Ron.

"Oh my God.", Dr. Possible said numbly. Jos got the sense that somehow it was not a surprise to him.

"Did someone already tell you what happened, Uncle Jim?", she asked.

"In a way, Jos. In a way.", he said in deep concern, "Kim is all right, isn't she? She is safe?"

"Well, she's banged up, Uncle Jim. Got some broken ribs I think, but other than that she's physically okay, pretty much. That's not worrying me. She ain't taking Ron's loss that well."

"Yes, I understand, Jos. We'll take care of that in time. Is Ron alive? Can we get to him?"

"I... ...I just don't know, Uncle Jim. But you're the only one I can think of to get him out. Can you do it?"

"I'm already putting together an excavation team as we speak. Is there anything further Kim needs right now? I've already alerted your aunt. She's waiting."

"Just get the infirmary ready, and be there for her. I think she's gonna need us all to help her through this."

"Yes, she certainly will. Okay, I'm on my way there. Over and out!"

Jos ended the communication and went back to stay with her cousin. She tried to speak to her, but all Kim did was cry the entire way back to home base. Curled up in a ball in her seat in the back, Jos could hear her mumbling to herself, over and over, "I never got to tell him." Jos could do nothing more, so she sat and just held her. When they finally got back home, Team Possible's medical support staff immediately went to work. Dr. Possible quickly got her daughter into the infirmary, shouting orders. The destroyed battle suit was cut off and nurses began cleaning and dressing her lacerations. Taking time to shoot x-rays, Dr. Possible perused them closely and made sure that the only broken bones she had in her chest were the lower three ribs on each side. But that was definitely enough. Kim winced in pain as they worked on her, but said nothing. She had severely bruised tissues and soft edema around all her major muscle groups, on top of her broken ribs and lacerations which almost made her scream each time they moved her around, but thankfully there were no hematomas, joint swelling, or evidence of internal injuries. Once her mother was satisfied with her treatment, she ordered Kim into one of the infirmary rooms to sleep, But Kim couldn't relax, and could not stop crying. Her mother was forced to give her something to make her rest.

* * *

Her father had rapidly organized the rescue party and set out with several cargo aircraft to start the search for Ron at the temple site in Africa. They left almost as soon as Kim got back. But before he boarded the last plane to go, he had to see her and make sure she was alright before he left. His wife was coming out of the room. He stood at the door and watched his daughter sleep in silence as she walked up softly and put her arms around him, hugging him hard, a small sob coming from her.

"What are we going to do, Jim?"

"It'll be okay, Annie. Somehow, it'll be okay. We'll help Kim through this."

She pulled back from him, two tears on her face, "But this is Ron we're talking about. She loves him, Jim. She told me so."

Dr. Possible grimaced at that, "I know, I know. All we can do is be there for her. And we will find a way to get through this, somehow."

She looked at him, nodding.

"I've got to go now.", he said, " I've got to see if I can find him."

"I understand. Take care of yourself."

"I will. I'll let you know if I find anything."

"Jim."

He turned back to her and she pulled him back in and kissed him passionately.

She slowly pulled back and said, "Be careful. I love you."

He grinned and replied softly, "I love you, too. We'll be okay. You'll see. And I'll be back soon."

She smiled and answered, "Very soon."

He nodded and swiftly walked off to execute his mission.

* * *

Early the next morning, after Kim had gotten some sleep, her mother came in to check on her. She found her awake, looking and feeling so very lost, like she was four years old again. She gazed up at her mother with eyes aching and empty. It hurt to look back at her. Dr. Possible came to her as Kim reached for her arms and started sobbing again, her mother softly shushing and trying to soothe her anguished words as best she could.

"I've lost him, Mom!", she cried out, "Oh, God! I've lost him! I never got to tell him!"

Dr. Possible was painfully sure Ron wasn't coming back, but she couldn't let Kim know that. She still had faith something good would come out of all this. She feared for Kim. Eric had almost destroyed her in the past. Losing Ron could push her past the breaking point.

"Kim, you have to believe in Ron!", she replied lovingly, "He's not gone! You said he promised you he would be back later. If he said he'll return, he will."

Kim looked up at her in anguish.

"But Mom! Nobody could have survived that explosion. I know I couldn't have done it!"

"You know anything's possible for a Possible, right?"

"Mom, he's not a Possible."

"Isn't he, honey?"

Twelve hours later. Her mother had made her get more sleep, but Kim woke up in agony, pain erupting from virtually every part of her body. Groaning, she gingerly sat up in bed, careful not to aggravate any of her injuries. She found she did feel more rested. Looking around, she saw the Kimmunicator on the night stand. Her mother must have sensed that would be the first thing she would want when she awoke. Picking it up, she punched two buttons and the unit beeped as Wade answered the call. He appeared haggard, as if he hadn't slept in days. Once he saw her, his face showed sharp concern.

"How're you feeling, Kim?"

Kim managed a smile.

"I've definitely had better days, Wade."

"Yeah, I know, but you'll heal and... ...and things will..."

"Wade.", she interrupted gently, "Ron. Now."

Forced to talk about the subject he was trying to avoid, Wade swallowed hard and paused before he answered, "Uh, yeah. I've set up analysis teams that are being coordinated with your father. He landed two hours ago and started the search. I've set up sensor relays and enhanced seismic nodes to locate him."

"And?"

Wade let out a depressed sigh.

"I'm sorry, Kim. There's too much interference there.", he said, "I can't scan deep enough for him. There's no way for me to find him even indirectly through all that stuff. If we try to just dig through there blindly, we'll only make things worse. The only thing I can do is to send out the reconnaissance vehicles and drones for short range life signs emission and try to triangulate. Right now, I can only say he's probably alive in there somewhere. I just can't tell you where, or how long he can last."

His face was grim as he continued, "We'll need a lot of luck, but if Ron's there, I promise you, we'll find him."

Even though she had fully expected to hear all this, Kim's face was still wrenched back into sorrow by the news, her eyes tearing up again. She was hoping some miracle might happen, but it didn't.

She wiped her eyes clear and looked at her Kimmunicator screen, sighing, her voice hoarse and resigned, "It's okay, Wade. I'm really thankful for the help. Just let me know if you find something."

She paused anxiously, scared of asking what was on her mind, but she couldn't help it, She had to know if Ron could really be okay down there.

"Wade.", she asked hesitantly, "Can we be sure he's even alive?"

Morose, he answered, "I think I've got something there, but first, uh, Kim. I gotta tell you. I'm really, really sorry. Drakken totally pulled a fast one on me. He managed to feed a lot of false information out there about his plans. He suckered me good. By the time I figured it out, you were already in the temple. It's my fault."

She nodded philosophically.

"Don't blame yourself so much.", she replied, "We were all fooled. Drakken has gotten smarter. His plots are now a lot more difficult to figure. We should have realized that from the Diablo plot. We just have to keep it in mind for the future."

Wade's mouth tightened into a thin line.

"Yeah, yeah.", he muttered, "But I did find something. I haven't shown it to anyone else, because I didn't want to cause alarm, but I thought I should show you. Drakken set up some camera surveillance inside the temple when he set up his explosive charges. I caught some stray signals from one of them just before it went out. This was after you had just left the temple. It's almost a day old now. It's Ron."

Going wide-eyed, she felt a kick in her gut.

"Show me, Wade!", she said desperately, "I need to know."

Wade's face disappeared from the screen, replaced by a bad signal filling the Kimmunicator screen. It was scratchy and filled with static, but she could still make out an image of someone lying on a pile of broken rocks. At first she couldn't see him, but when he moved, she gasped. It really was Ron.

'He survived after all!', she thought excitedly, 'At least until after the collapse of the temple! The probes were right! But it's a day old. Is he still okay?'

Staring at the small screen, she could see he somehow was able to get into a small side chamber of the temple that did not completely collapse down with the rest of the building. It looked awfully cramped. Worse, he appeared badly injured from the explosions. His left arm was broken, and a small cry came out of her throat when she saw it. She could hear him talking to himself. Rufus was with him, the mole rat refusing to leave him even when he stayed behind. He struggled to hold up his Kimmunicator, the twin to her own. She could see it had been put in record mode.

"Hey, little buddy,", he croaked to Rufus, obviously in pain as he spoke, "Looks like we bit off more than we could chew, huh?"

Rufus fidgeted and squeaked with worry over Ron.

"Relax, Rufus. It's okay. Kim made it out. She's safe. That's what counts. She'll be fine."

The signal broke up and cut out. Kim angrily whacked the Kimmunicator on the side, and the signal came back again.

The image returned, and Kim's heart was back in her throat. Ron was still talking, Rufus making a lot of noise.

"It's okay, Rufus, go for help. I'll be okay, until you get back. You can make it out and. Get help for me. Go on!"

Rufus looked away, then back at Ron, clearly not wanting to leave him. Making his decision, he turned and ran out of the picture. Kim had a glimmer of hope then. One thing a naked mole rat could do very well was dig.

Ron spoke into the Kimmunicator again.

"I don't know if anyone will hear this. I had to send Rufus away. He'll be able to dig his way out. I'm hurt, pretty bad. I... ...I don't think I'll make it."

"Oh, God!", she cried to herself, her heart sinking.

Ron's voice was haunting as it came of the Kimmunicator. Kim heard nothing else around her. Only Ron's voice came through.

"Kim. Oh, God, Kim. I tried to tell you when that rock hit me. I never got to tell you before. I'm sorry. I should have. You see I didn't want to push because you were so busy, too many other things you had to worry about. But I want you to know nobody, absolutely nobody in this world has ever made me feel so worthwhile as you, my best friend, have made me feel. If I am a good person, a man, It's because you made me that way. So I owe it all to you. To you. If you get this, I want you to know how much... ...how very, very much, I love you. I do so love you."

Kim felt her heart crack with the pain, her throat seizing.

"No!", she cried to herself, shaking her head, "No!"

Ron kept recording into the Kimmunicator.

"Kim, if I don't make it, I want you to know I will always be there for you, to the very end, in spirit, if not in person. Don't be sad. I know you will be fine. I just want you to know, my thoughts... ...will always be... ...of you."

The picture deteriorated away into static as she watched Ron sink into unconsciousness. It was too much for her as she broke down again, sobbing hard and clasping the Kimmunicator to her breast. In the next room, her mother heard her and came in, gathering her daughter back into her arms. Clinging to her, Kim told her about the video.

She cried out, "Oh, God, Mom! Oh, God! He did love me! He did! Why didn't he tell me?"

"Of course he loved you, Kim. I knew he did.", her mother replied softly.

"What am I going to do?", she sobbed, "I can't! ...I... ...I... ...How can I do this without him?"

Dr. Possible could do nothing but just let Kim cry herself out in her arms, holding and supporting her as much as she could. She had cried herself over her daughter's loss, though she never did it in front of her. She had to be strong for Kim. But she also couldn't let her sink this low in despair. It had gone on too long, and now it was time for her daughter to also be strong. When Kim exhausted her tears, her mother's demeanor became firm as she took Kim by her wrists and held her out at arms length. Kim looked up at her from her red-rimmed eyes, her look questioning her mother.

"Now you listen to me, Kimberly Ann Possible.", she said softly, but sternly, to her daughter, "Ron wouldn't have you just sitting here crying your eyes out. He always had faith in you, and he supported you all the way. So you have to make a decision. Are you just going to sit here and throw everything you and he built over the last fourteen years away? Or are you going to get on with your life and carry on the legacy he would have wanted for you?"

Paralyzed, Kim looked at her mother in amazement.

"Wha...? Mom...?"

"What's it going to be, dear? Make up your mind."

Kim gazed at her, halfway not believing what she just heard.

"But Mom", she began, "How?"

"Honey, are you or are you not the person Ron said you are?"

"Huh?"

"You're the girl who can do anything, aren't you? Has Ron ever doubted you? Has he ever had any misgiving in his life whatsoever that you couldn't be exactly who and what you are?"

She stared back at her mother, blinking in stunned silence for a moment...

"Uh, no... ...no, Mom. You're right. He never doubted, but..."

"So don't you think that kind of faith deserves recognition?", she interrupted, "Don't you think that kind of faith deserves the same? From you? For him?"

Kim sat there staring blankly at her mother. Faith? In Ron? Oh, God... ...Of course. She saw it in his eyes when he asked her to trust him when he took on Shego.

'She's right.', Kim thought, 'She's so right.'

She thought back to those times she was scared, afraid, fearful of failure, and petrified to go on. Granted, there weren't that many. But when they occurred, he was always there to cheer her on, to support her, to show her she could indeed do anything. And then she remembered, he beat Shego against all the odds...

He beat Shego... ...He took her down...

It finally sank in, what he accomplished. She remembered how he had looked at her in the temple, so calm so strong, so complete in his belief in what he was doing. And the way he looked at her, like he knew exactly what she felt, what she believed herself, what was in her soul and the thought came to her that he could do anything.

He actually beat her!...

If he could do that , then he was a true Possible. Then anything, anything, was possible, including his coming back. It was true. He had always, always had faith in her. How could she not do the same for him?.

"You're right, Mom.", she said softly as the revelation hit her, "I have to honor what he would have wanted me to do. I owe him no less."

From the doorway of her infirmary room, a voice added, "That is as it should be, Kim Possible."

Kim and her mother looked up in surprise to see Sensei at the door, Nana at his side.

"Sensei! Nana!", exclaimed Kim, "I didn't know you were here!"

Kim's grandmother said, "Kimberly, Sensei and I both knew this would be a crucial time. We both wanted to be near in case you needed help."

Sensei continued, "I knew a day would come when you might experience the loss of someone you held dearly in your heart, and that it would be Ron-San."

"You knew this would happen?" said Kim with an angry frown, wiping her tears away now, "and you didn't do anything about it?"

"I am a master of Tai Shing Pek Kwar, and have some small ability in sensing the future, but my poor talent is not enough to know for certain.", replied Sensei, "I did see that this was very likely. If it came to pass, I wished to help you realize that Ron-San's sacrifice was not in vain. He gave himself to save the one he valued most dearly."

"But why didn't you warn him? Why didn't you warn me? I could have prevented all this!", Kim cried.

Sensei slowly shook his head, "No, Kim Possible, you could not. Had you been warned, events in time would have been changed. The future you would have gained would have been worse. Your enemies would have won. You most certainly would not have survived. This was the one path that gave us hope."

"But Ron!...", groaned Kim.

"He knew the risks and accepted his destiny." Sensei replied firmly, "He also knew this could very likely happen. And still he was wise enough to see he had to fulfill it."

She stared in horror.

"You mean he knew he was going to die? He knew?"

Sensei, his face bitter, replied softly, "He was certain of it, although the truth is that my visions showed it was only very likely. There was still a slim chance he would survive. He did not believe that, but he went through with the events as they happened, because he knew he would save you in the end."

"But there had to be another way!"

"I am sorry.", he replied remorsefully, "If I could have seen it, I assure you Ron-San and I would have taken that road."

"And he could have been more open with you in such a possibility, but it was not there.", added Nana.

Kim looked at him, numb. She had stopped crying, but still looked and felt lost. But understanding had come to her.

"So that's why he didn't tell me he loved me.", she mumbled, "He didn't want me going through that kind of loss again."

"Nor face almost certain death, dear, when it was not necessary.", Nana said.

"I am sorry.", Sensei added, "He was trying to protect you. Now I would ask you the same question I asked him once. Would you give your life to save his?"

Anguished, Kim looked on the old master calmly, her eyes still glistening.

"Without a second thought, Sensei. Of course.", she said softly.

"As he also answered.", said Sensei, "And could you accept the same sacrifice from him for you if he thought it was required?"

Kim opened her mouth to speak, and hesitated. She shut it again, and thought hard. It all became clear. She could see. Ron really was her soul mate. Yes, he came through at Killigan's, gave her the new government agency sitch, had professed his feelings for her in every way short of telling her how he felt, and it was all to protect her. But now he just sacrificed himself, had just almost certainly died... ...how could anybody do such a thing unless the person it was meant for was worth it? Ron Stoppable was saying that Kim Possible was most definitely worth his life, that she was still... ...still 'all that', that she could do anything... ...and she found herself really believing it now, for the first time in recent memory...

She took a deep breath before she spoke.

"If you had asked me that even a week ago,", she whispered, "I don't think I could. But now that I know how much we love each other, I know now that he would want me to go on, to be everything I can, and want to be. I know it could never be the same without him, but I have to honor him by doing it. Like I told Mom, he deserves no less."

Sensei smiled serenely, as did her grandmother.

"My heart is gladdened to hear those words. We both know that feeling, know the beauty of that commitment from one to another who is loved."

Kim frowned, confused, "What do you mean?"

"I was most fortunate and grateful to be able to help Ron-San defeat Monkey Fist before he returned to you. It was an action which could have easily taken my life as well, but the enemy was taken by surprise, and we were victorious. By accepting his sacrifice, you can now act. And with it, there may be now a chance to save Ron-San."

She frowned at the old master again, perplexed, "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Although I can not see it clearly which way they will lead, your next actions may be a key to returning him to you."

"You mean I can save him?", she said, getting up, clearly agitated, "He's still alive down there? "

Dr. Possible put a hand on her arm, "Stay calm dear. Getting upset won't help."

She looked at her mother briefly, then returned her attention back to Sensei, trying to keep her composure.

He looked at her calmly, "I cannot tell you what your course should be. Only you can decide that. I can only council you to follow what is in your heart and your mind as to what is the right thing to do. No more than that can I say."

Sensei looked over to Nana.

Kim's grandmother slowly walked up to her granddaughter and tenderly embraced her, Kim returning that strong hug with all the love she felt. Slowly, Nana pulled back and placed one hand on her shoulder.

She said, "Kimberly, I have watched you grow from a baby into the wonderful young woman I see now. You have a good heart and a good mind. You just need to pay attention to them. You'll see that in the end, they will serve you well.

"For more than fifty years, I have waited for this day. I have waited for you almost my entire life, ever since the day I knew I would have a granddaughter."

Dr. Possible gazed at her questioningly, "For fifty years, Nana? What do you mean?"

Nan looked at her daughter-in-law and smiled before turning her gaze back on Kim, "Yes, I have known you would come into my life for all that time. Because once, when I was only a few years older than you are now, I thought I was the one who would be what you are now. It was thought by many then that I would be the one who saved the world. But in time it was found that was not how it was to be. I was not to be the One. You are."

Surprised, Kim said breathlessly, "But, but how?"

Her grandmother kept smiling, whispering, "Prophecy."

Kim stared at her in awe, speaking in low, stunned tones, "Nana? What are you saying? What do you mean?"

Nana replied, "Now is not the time, Kimberly. You have too much to do. There is a destiny that awaits you. Once this trial is done, then I shall reveal what I have kept secret for all this time. What Sensei has said is true. He has the power of foresight into the future, limited as it is. You alone must decide what to do. We cannot interfere. He and I have done all we can do for now."

"But Ron! I love him!

"Then honor that, granddaughter. You must decide."

Kim stared at her, "I.. ...Ron said I could do anything. I thought he would know for sure, better than anybody. I depended on that. But did he really..."

"Kimberly.", Nana said, "Didn't he just stake his life on it?"

Kim was stunned speechless. Nana placed both hands on her head and pulled it down slowly, tenderly kissing her on the forehead before letting her go and walking back to Sensei.

She turned there and looked straight into her granddaughter's eyes, saying, "Remember, Kimberly. You can do anything."

Then Sensei and Nana both smiled at Kim and her mother and left the infirmary room together.

Kim looked at her mother questioningly.

Confused, Dr Possible said, "They came after you left for Africa and stayed here during the mission awaiting your return. Since then, they have been working with the ninjas, sorting out all those henchmen. Of course, Nana comes here regularly, but I did wonder why Sensei chose to come this time, rather than all the others."

"But what Nana said..."

Her mother shook her head, having no answer, "She has always been able to predict what would happen with you, and what you could do. But about this, I don't know, honey. I suppose she'll tell you when you get finished with all this."

Kim blinked her eyes, a strange look on her face, as if she had just had an epiphany. She dried her eyes and looked away, a sudden calm overtaking her. For the moment, her mother watched her standing there, seeing her teenage daughter deep in thought. It struck her how grown up she had truly become. She always had an image in her mind of what Kim would be like when she was fully grown, as an adult. For the first time now, she saw it. As her daughter stared off into the distance, she could see the wheels turning in her mind just by her stance, and when Kim looked at her again, it was with that look of hard steel, a look she had seen before, the look that told her Kim had made the decision...

"He was right, Mom.", she said, "Before, I knew in my mind he was right. But it wasn't until now I felt it in my heart. Ron was right. And because of that, and more, I do have to finish what we started. Everything inside me is screaming to go back to Africa, to help Dad find him. But I know I can't do anything useful there right now. What I have to do is finally take out Shego for good. Now that Drakken has her again, she'll recover and still be a problem. Jos has always been right about that. She's the real danger. She's the key to stopping Drakken."

Alarmed at what she was going to do now, her mother became concerned.

"Honey, your ribs are in bad shape. And you're injured from wounds and lacerations. Your muscles are inflamed and swollen from the beating you took. You're barely able to walk, much less run. And you don't have your battle suit anymore, especially for Shego."

Kim's eyes drifted away, her mind deep in thought again. Still holding Ron's Star, she looked at it for a good long while before she finally slipped it over her neck and let it hang onto her chest. But it was when Kim looked back into her mother's eyes that Dr. Possible uttered a small gasp. She had seen her daughter mad, determined, irritated, happy, even enraged, and seen her resolved in the conviction of doing whatever it was she would decide to do. She knew in times like that, nothing could deter her from the mission she intended to accomplish. It was what made her so successful as a teen hero. But this time, she had the hardest look of iron will and undeniable surety in her eyes she had ever seen.

Kim spoke in a hard-edged voice, "I don't need a battle suit to beat Shego, Mom. I'm doing this, for Ron."

Dr. Possible said nothing, knowing her daughter was now completely set on her path. In the past, she had always worried about her getting hurt in this dangerous business, but she never ever let anyone see that worry. She accepted the risks, and always had faith Kim would be fine. Now she prayed silently that her faith was enough.

* * *

Two hours later, Kim was speeding through the sky in the roboplane. She was back in her usual mission mode cargo pants and tank top. Only Jos was with her. Her ribs were on fire, but her mother had dressed the wounds as best she could for the time being. Dr. Possible also recommended some powerful pain medication, but she said no. She needed to be clearheaded. Kim remained completely still, focusing on the job ahead as her cousin attended to some communications with home base and instructions to the plane's robotic pilot. When she finished, she sat down dejectedly, her head in her hands with worry. Kim spoke to her.

"Jos."

Her cousin lifted her head up, a couple of bangs of dark red hair falling onto her face.

"Yes, Kim."

She got up and knelt down in front of her younger cousin, their eyes level as she gazed at her.

"I want you to know something.", she said, "I remember what you did back there in Africa. And you were wonderful. You did everything you were supposed to do. You took command. You secured the area and made it possible for Dad to do his job, and you got everyone home safe."

"Except Ron."

Kim shook her head, denying that.

"No, Jos. That wasn't your fault. He did what he had to do."

Jos swallowed hard, her eyes watering up, "It's what had to be done, cuz. I just did what was necessary."

Kim smiled at her, "I know. I don't think I have anything more to teach you, Jos. You've made it now. You can do anything now."

Jos let slip a small cry as she pulled Kim into a strong hug, and Kim stroked her head slowly.

"There's something else, Jos."

She pulled back and looked steadily at her.

"You're second in command of Team Possible from here on out. I let Mom and Dad know before we left."

Jos' eyes winced, but she understood.

"I can't take his place, cuz.", she said.

"It's okay.", replied Kim, "You're not. I don't think he would mind at all."

Her cousin smiled back at her, a tear escaping down her cheek.

"Thanks, Kim." she said softly, "I guess I'll keep an eye on things up here then."

Kim smiled and returned to her seat as Jos went back to studying a flight panel displaying weather information. She sat down and belted in, quietly looking out the window. Without realizing it her hand came up and she held onto Ron's Star of David around her neck. It reminded her again of why she had to do this.

She had failed to defeat Shego in Africa, and because of that Ron had to do it. Now her failure may have cost her the man she loved, someone she should have realized she loved long before this. It was too much to ask of her, too much for her to give up, and as she thought about this, she gazed through the window, looking into the night sky over the Caribbean Ocean, where there was no reflection of the moonless night out there, only that of her face in the glass.

The reflection stirred, Image-Kim unexpectedly haunting her mind again out of her subconscious, that devil-face staring at her with a smug look of superiority. Kim wondered then how long she had been dealing with this malevolent specter, constantly assaulting her dreams and now her consciousness... ...and realized it had been so ever since Junior Prom. 'Has it really been that long?', she thought, "Why did I ever let it do this to me?"... ...But she knew why.

The avatar started laughing.

"So now what?", it said in a sarcastic manner, "You're going to try and beat her when you couldn't do it before?"

Kim calmly stared back at the avatar, her face calm.

"Yes.", she thought at it. It was one word, no more. She didn't argue or explain. One word said it all. The avatar stopped laughing. It frowned at her instead, noting the change in attitude.

"Surely you don't think that just because you guys are just about hooked up or whatever, that it changes anything. You still can't trust yourself."

"This has nothing to do with my trust.", Kim thought at it, interrupting, "I don't care about that anymore. It's not important. But I know one thing that is. Ron trusted me. And you know what? That says it all. He trusted me enough that I could love him the way he deserved. And now I know he trusted me enough to be able to do anything, to the point that he risked his life for it. And I don't care if it takes my last breath, I will not betray it."

Image-Kim looked back at her from the window reflection, eyes narrowed, "That doesn't change a thing."

"Sure it does.", she interrupted, "Because Ron believes it, I know I can do anything.

"You're so sure about that?" replied the avatar, derisively.

"Very sure. I believe it, because he does, and neither you nor Eric can change that. There's also one more thing I can do. I don't have to listen to you any more."

"But..."

"Go away."

Abruptly, the avatar vanished, and Kim felt such a wave of relief and peace envelope her. The creature had assailed her mind and her psyche so many times since last year, had harassed her unbidden for so long, had tortured her to the point of madness. Now she had finally beaten the avatar down, and knew it would never return. Looking out the window, a smile came to her lips, a smile of confidence which she hadn't had in a long time. She would finish this thing... ...finish it, and somehow find Ron and take him home. And if he lived, she would dedicate herself to being the best partner, friend, and wife she could be. Let someone else save the world for a change, if that's what it took.

The Kimmunicator came to life. Kim pulled it out and punched it on.

"Go, Wade."

"I've located Drakken and his cronies at a temporary lair in the Caribbean. You shouldn't have any trouble getting in. This looks like part of some emergency escape plan of his, so it isn't built up like his lairs usually are. The defenses are minimal. I don't think he plans on staying, but you should be able to get there before he leaves."

"Good. What about that call to Global Justice?"

"They'll be on their way, about two hours behind you."

"Thanks. They'll have to pick up the pieces when I'm through. I'm going in."

Wade looked at her, worried.

"Uh, Kim. Are you sure you're ready to go back in? Your ribs..."

She stared at the Kimmunicator, her eyes hardened, "Wade! Don't start with me! I'm! Going! In!"

Wade couldn't argue with those eyes...


	19. Chapter 19

Killigan was beside himself, angrily growling and wringing his hands as he paced the floor while Drakken silently watched the activity on the hangar floor of his lair from the mezzanine on which they were standing. The frustration finally getting the better of his mood, the Scotsman turned on him.

"Now look what ye hae done!", he cried to Drakken, "We've lost the Time Monkey! The temple has been destroyed! And now we'll ne'er have the time travel! Ach! I should hae ne'er left Scotland!"

"Relax, my friend.", replied Drakken with some irritation, trying to remain calm as he monitored his henchmen loading up his lab equipment onto the plane, "We accomplished what we meant to do. Ron Stoppable is no more. The team has been dissolved. Now all we have to do is make the plans for our next scheme to take over the world, and we shall finally, finally defeat Kim Possible! But we must get a move on. This is only an emergency evacuation area in case of trouble. I don't have a good defense network set up here. That makes us too vulnerable. We must pack up and leave for a better defended location."

"But where is Monkey Fist?", cried the Scot, "He should hae returned by now."

Drakken didn't need the mad golfer to remind him of that. Growling to himself, he mused over the possibilities, and it worried him more and more. It was a deviation from the original plan. He did not like deviations. That Monkey Fist seemed to be disposed of was fine with him, but he would have felt better if it had been done the way he wanted it, after he had confirmed the destruction of the buffoon! As it was, he had to make do with what he had. When he and Killigan escaped the temple, they followed events from above in the air car, awaiting the right time to pick up their two remaining comrades. They only got one of them, thankfully, the right one, as far as Drakken was concerned.

"I don't know.", he replied to Killigan in contemplation, "Obviously we knew he failed to destroy the buffoon himself, when I saw Stoppable back in the temple just before it collapsed.

"Aye.", Killigan added in low anger.

"But, no matter.", Drakken added, smiling in great satisfaction, "As you saw, Ron Stoppable did not make it out."

"Right!", replied Killigan, still grumbling to himself, more in control as he stood at Drakken's side to watch the henchmen work, "At least there's that."

Drakken saw that his lackeys were working smoothly, and was satisfied things were on schedule. With nothing else to oversee he left Killigan to brood on his own and walked up the ramp to a higher mezzanine area where Shego had been cleaning up. She had taken a pretty good beating by Stoppable, and it was bothering him how she looked and acted after it. He thought the news of the buffoon's fall with the Time Monkey Temple would cheer her up, but she didn't even break a grin when he mentioned it, her expression remaining flat and angry. The main thing that rubbed him wrong was that, uncharacteristically for her, she was still sulking over her defeat at Stoppable's hands. He found her standing next to a table, facing away from him, one hand holding a wet rag up against her temple.

"Are you all right, Shego?", he asked.

The woman exhaled heavily when she heard him, as if out of patience.

"What do you want, Dr. D?", she whined, her back still to him, "I'm not exactly in the mood right now."

Irritated again at her insolence, he demanded, "Well you better get in the mood, Shego! We have work to do! Now, I want to know what happened to you! Why did you disobey my orders?"

She turned and looked at him, puzzled and asking "Huh? What orders?"

He growled, "You blew up the temple, Shego! You were supposed to avoid doing that! I told you specifically!..."

"Doc!", she interrupted angrily, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

She moistened the washcloth again in the sink and held it back to the side of her head where she had been wheel kicked, looking away once more. Then she rubbed both her temples, trying to massage some relief into them.

Exasperated, a wide-eyed Drakken yelled, "What are you saying? I told you not to do anything to disturb the explosives in the temple!"

She glared back at him under half closed eyes, slowly shaking her head, "Look, maybe you said something..."

"Said something?", he exclaimed, looking almost apoplectic, "Are you crazy? Are you calling me a liar? Don't you..."

"Doc!", she said forcefully, interrupting him again and making her wince from the effort. She paused until the pain subsided, then looked at him. In a lower voice she added, "Don't yell at me. I just don't remember."

Drakken was far too incensed. He continued his tirade.

"You don't remember?", he yelled, "What do you mean you don't remember?"

Shego reacted sharply, her face angry as she put her hands down and stared straight at him, screaming, "I... ...don't... ...remember!"

Her hands lit up. Taken aback at her vehemence, Drakken paused and studied her from narrowed eyes. Even though she had cleaned up and changed to a fresh set of greens and blacks, she still looked like she had been through the ringer. He thought, 'Hmm, perhaps it's better to approach that subject another time.'

"Yes... ...well...", he said dismissively, "We'll discuss this later when you're in a better mood. I still need you to pilot the jet as soon as it's ready."

Her shoulders slumped from sheer exhaustion. She powered down her hands and extinguished her plasma.

She groaned in response, ""Yeah, whatever, Dr. D... ...I... ...whatever..."

He had turned to leave as she spoke, but it just kept nagging him. She had fought Stoppable down there. Did she see what happened to the buffoon?

Looking back, he asked, "Shego, what about Stoppable? Do you remember anything about that? I need to be sure he's been destroyed."

Looking even more stressed at his continued harping, she sighed even more heavily. Turning back and looking at him, Drakken noticed her eyes were glazed over. It seemed like she didn't quite understand him. She blinked a couple of times before answering.

"Uh, yeah. The plan is on, Dr. D. As soon as we get them in the temple, we spring the trap, okay?"

Drakken did a double take and stared, "Shego, what are you talking about? The plan is done! It's over! We've won!"

In a flash, her face suddenly twisted, angry and blazing again. Drakken gasped as a cocoon of green plasma suddenly enveloped her as she yelled, 'No, it's not over!"

He remained completely still, not answering as the anger played out on her face. Just as quickly as it came, it disappeared, her plasma energy evaporating with it.

Getting his courage back, Drakken found himself more irritated, saying, "Shego, look around you! Does this look like the temple to you?"

She slowly scanned the mezzanine, trying to focus her gaze each time she stopped.

"I... ...thought... ...I thought we were at... ...what are we doing back here?"

Finally out of patience, he shouted, "What has gotten into you? You've been confused and absent minded for weeks now!

She frowned at him, "Don't start with me, Dr. D! Please! I've just got this horrible headache now!"

"Well, you better take care of it!", he snapped, "We've got to get out of here before Kim Possible catches up to us!"

"Well, just blow the temple up, okay?", she yelled.

"Huh? Shego! I already told you we're not in the temple!" he screamed, "We're in the lair!"

Shego looked around, her anger shut off and her eyes glazed over again, "Uh, sure we are, Dr. D. See, I've still got the, the whatchamacallit device here, the thingee. You can just use it to trigger the explosions, or was it to stop them? I can't rememb-"

Shego began to look around herself again, confused.

"Wait a minute. This isn't the temple, is it?", she said. She mumbled something unintelligible.

A look came over her as if she remembered something.

"Oh, yeah, here it is. You can use it now. Do what you have to do."

Completely perplexed, Drakken desperately wondered what was going on. She was disoriented, uncoordinated, distracted. He wondered, 'Was she ill? Did Kim Possible injure her worse than I thought?' He noticed her starting to pull something off her belt, as if to give to him, but her fingers started fumbling, and he saw she couldn't do it. He tried to help her and looked down at what she was pulling at.

"What do you have on your belt?", he queried.

Drakken turned as blue as he ever had, more enraged as he had ever been in his life.

 _"Shego!_ ", he screamed at her, "You had the abort signal device the entire time? What were you doing with it? Do you realize what you have done? The Time Monkey? The power of time travel? Do you realize how totally incompetent you have been? _You have lost us all of that with your imbecility! You idiot! You!... ...You!... ...You!... ...Loser!_ "

Totally shocked, Shego took two steps backward, her eyes wide open. Her attention snapped completely back in focus. She had never seen him so enraged, and it didn't concern her in the least. The only thing in her mind at the moment was that she knew she didn't like it one bit.

"What did you call me?", she asked in a very low and dangerous voice.

Still lost in his anger, he stomped around, gesticulating at her and ranting, " _You loser! You dweeb! You! You! You are so worse than a 'Princess'!_ "

Shego became quietly still. It only belied the storm building up inside.

Whispering, she answered, "Now you've done it, blue boy."

Her hands lit up again, this time bigger. Gasping, Drakken realized he had gone too far.

He calmed down, putting his hands up and saying, "Uh, wait a minute there, Shego, let's not get hasty now. I am a forgiving man. I'm sure we can work this out."

She leered at him in pure disgust, her body again softly lighting up with the corona of green flame surrounding her. Holding her hands to either side, each palm held a thousand degree orb of burning green plasma.

"And what's it to you, Drew?", she said sarcastically, her eyes blazing, "What do you care? I'm just a 'henchman', aren't I?"

He saw it in her eyes. She wasn't being derisive or mocking now. She wasn't even just plain angry. He could only see uncontrolled rage. She was completely mad.

"Now, now, Shego, you know that's not true! You've always been my favorite hench... ...uh, associate. Nobody can do what you do. I need you."

Her eyebrows raised slightly. She floated up into the air, the green shell of energy brightening and expanding, green flames beginning to lick lovingly about her limbs and torso.

"You... ...need me?", she asked softly at first, then repeated more loudly, "You need me?"

She broke into a wild laughter which chilled him to his inner being.

'What was wrong with her?', he thought frantically.

"You need me?", she cackled, "Well! I'll tell you what, Drew! I... ...don't... ...care! I don't need you! I don't need anybody! _And I want you GONE!_ "

Before he knew what hit him, Shego blasted the floor out from beneath his feet, evaporating the metal flooring to molten metal and plasma. He fell onto the main hangar deck below where the jet was being loaded. She screamed in rage and everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her. The next thing they saw was green fire enveloping the inside of the hangar as she went wild throwing power blasts in every direction.

She flew up into the center of the hangar and her plasma energy literally exploded around her. In a flash, she was encased in a conflagration of emerald energy that took the form of a giant bird of prey, bristling with power, threatening to destroy everything within reach.

Struggling to rise, Drakken stared up in shock from the floor where he landed as Killigan came up and said, "Hurry, the lass has gone mad! We must flee!"

Alarms started to go off, horns blaring. Henchmen were scrambling in every direction trying to stay out of the way as Shego descended down to the hangar floor and started destroying anything and everything in her path, throwing bolt after bolt of disintegrating plasma and burning everything it touched to cinders or molten slag. As Drakken and Killigan struggled frantically to leave, she blasted a stack of fifty-five gallon drums nearby and brought them tumbling down on top of them. Drakken barely missed being hit, but Killigan fell heavily under them and was trapped.

"Do nae leave me!", he cried before passing out.

Drakken kept running and never looked back.

* * *

As the roboplane approached the lair, Kim was surprised to see the heavy damage it had sustained. She wondered, 'Did Global Justice get here first?'

She opened up the Kimmunicator.

"Wade, what's going on down there?"

"Scanning.", he said, furiously typing his commands into the computer.

His face showed surprise, "Hmmm, this is strange. Global Justice is still two hours away. Drakken is gone as are all of his henchmen, but Shego is still there, and Killigan. But this is really strange! He's unconscious! And the damage to the lair looks to be consistent with plasma bursts just like Shego's! I don't know what happened, Kim, but it looks like she blasted this place to pieces!"

Kim frowned.

"What's making her do this?", she half asked herself.

She looked back at Wade on the Kimmunicator.

"You know, Wade.", she said, "She really had a funny look to her back in Africa. I don't know, but it was her eyes. She had a look of pure..."

"Evil?"

"No... ...like she's insane."

Wade looked grim, "I don't know what's going on, but I can tell you those power blasts of hers have magnified at least ten-fold, maybe more. I've never seen her this powerful before. In fact I don't even see how it's humanly possible. Your odds of getting out..."

"Zip it, Wade!", she fired back, cutting him off.

"But..."

"Never tell me the odds!" she barked, "I'm going in! For Ron!"

"Okay, okay.", Wade answered in conciliation, "But please, be careful."

"So not the drama.", she replied impatiently, "I'll talk to you later."

She shut off the Kimmunicator and placed it back in her pants pocket.

But as the screen blanked off in front of him, Wade thought, 'Oh, yes it is.'

Kim had the roboplane hover over the wreckage of the lair, planning to rappel into the ruins of the main hangar. Jos made a big fuss about coming with her, however she would have none of it.

"But Kim!", she argued, "I can help you!"

"That's not the point, Jos! I need you here, just in case. I need you as a reserve."

"But Wade is right! She's gotten too powerful!"

"Jos!", Kim snapped, "Look at me! Who am I?"

"I know who you are!"

"Who? Am? I?"

Jos took a deep breath and answered, "You're Kim Possible."

"And what can I do?"

"You can do anything.", she replied softly, noting the iron expression in her cousin's face.

Kim nodded to her, "Then trust me, cousin. Trust me."

Jos grimaced, but slowly nodded. In the end, Kim had her take the roboplane to scout the immediate area for any henchmen or other bad guys that might be hanging around and take them into custody. She was not to approach the hangar unless specifically ordered there.

Rappelling down, she landed on the hangar floor and carefully looked around, favoring her ribs as she walked through the wreckage. Even with slow and cautious movement, they were killing her, making it more difficult to navigate the maze of broken sheet metal, twisted bars, and crushed barrels. There were mounds of burning rubber everywhere filling the hanger with that horrible smell it makes. The heavy smoke drifted slowly through the air. Every time she coughed her ribs racked her with pain. She noted several metal oil drum barrels in one pile and approached them. Something caught her eye and there, in one spot, she could see a body beneath them. Making her way there, she found Killigan unconscious, but otherwise all right. She was about to pull him out from under, when she heard a noise very gradually oozing out of the acrid air behind her. One she was expecting. That malignantly evil laugh floated over the smoke and haze, coyly playing to her ears throughout the hangar along with the burnt rubber smell. Kim checked Killigan again and made sure he would be okay for the time being.

She rose up slowly and followed that laugh, calmly walking out towards the middle of the hangar where it seemed to be located. The smoke was less dense there, and she found Shego waiting.

"I knew you would come.", her arch-foe said in a low sultry voice, "It was only a matter of time before you followed us. Still scared?"

"No. You expected otherwise?", Kim replied testily.

Shego frowned at first, noting the change in her demeanor from the Temple fight, but then she just shook her head no, smiling evilly at her. Her eyes worried Kim. She could see the insanity had completely taken her.

"So, Princess.", Shego purred on, "What brings you here? Didn't get enough in Africa? Want more?"

She started to laugh again softly, madly.

"Enough, Shego.", said Kim in a hard voice, "It ends here."

"Oh, yes, Princess. It will end here.", she responded in an oily manner, "Now I can finish what I started before we were so rudely interrupted by the... ...buffoon."

Shego was trying to bait her. But Kim could use this. She smirked.

"He took you out well enough.", she said.

"He was lucky!", yelled Shego suddenly, momentarily startling Kim. The rage rose in her and she almost charged her foe. Her green energy erupted out and outlined her form like the corona around the sun as she rose into the air in her fiery green raptor-like form, the phoenix emerging from its pyre once more in an awesome display of emerald plasma that rose fifty feet up. Kim gasped wide-eyed, wondering again how she gained this power. Still she held her ground. Shego soon controlled herself again, the energy quickly ebbing. She held back the plasma and powered her hands down, remaining suspended in midair, the green flames of the raptor receding to the shimmering ten foot diameter ball of energy that enveloped her, the green flames playfully roaming around her body. The smile and the purring came back.

"Like my new tricks, Princess?", she said very softly, "I can tell you the buffoon probably would appreciate them better than you. But then, it looks like he'll never get that chance, will he?"

She laughed that malignant laugh again.

Unexpectedly, that hit Kim hard. A rage built up in her that took her by surprise. It shocked her that she had never felt so much anger before. She was barely holding the tears back, so dearly wanting to destroy this monster in front of her who was denigrating the man who now meant more to her than life, to wipe out this madwoman who was responsible for his being gone, probably forever. But she remained still. There was no more doubt. No uncertainty... ...no, not any more... ...She had her...

Shego continued to laugh, adding playfully, "So, Princess, why are you here? Come to avenge the buffoon, have you?"

Enraged, Kim answered hotly, "He's not a buffoon!. He's the most wonderful..."

"Not a buffoon?", Shego interrupted loudly, "Are you kidding? Please! The boy couldn't bust his way out of a paper lantern without you. He was nothing!"

"He's more than you'll ever realize!" Kim shouted at her, "He saved you, Shego! He saved you!"

Shego snorted derisively, "Hah! His mistake, Princess! But why should you care?"

"I love him!", Kim screamed.

Shego stopped laughing, genuinely surprised, eyebrows raised in shock.

She let out guffaw as she covered her mouth with one hand.

"Oh, my God!", she exclaimed, "Are you for real?"

She began to laugh hysterically.

"Wow!", she said innocently, "The sidekick? You had a thing for the sidekick? Never would have guessed. Gee!"

Then she smiled evilly again and added, "Well, you really did like to slum around then, didn't you, Princess? What's the problem? Couldn't get a better class of boy-toy?"

She snickered again, so malevolently that Kim could feel it in her bones.

"I guess you will miss him then, won't you?", Shego cried out, losing it, laughing out loud far more evilly again.

She doubled over in mirth as Kim glared at her, her hands balled into fists. Shego didn't stop laughing until she looked back at her arch-foe. Suddenly, her face wrenched into an angry grin, her hands once more lit up. The emerald firebird reappeared around her, expanding its wings and talons towards her as she taunted in a low voice.

"So. Do you think you have what it takes to make things right, you pathetic little cheerleader? You 'Little Princess'? Do you?"

Kim stared her down, not dignifying her with an answer. Shego lost her smile, waiting for that reply.

She screamed impatiently, "DO YOU??".

In that moment, Kim knew now was the time. She had envisioned the fight already. She would win... ...and she smiled hard at her enemy.

Kim's voice was hard-edged in her response, "Bring it on, Shego! BRING IT ON!"

She jumped out of the way just as the power blast blew the floor out from under her, strewing shattered concrete all around. In rapid sequence, she pounced in and out of the debris, barely avoiding the green fireballs which would have instantly incinerated her if they even got close. Kim could see Shego was so out of control that she wasn't thinking, just letting go with everything she had. It was what Kim had planned on, and she had calculated her jumps accordingly. Hitting the remains of the topmost mezzanine platform, she rebounded out in time as a power blast vaporized the railing supporting it. Shego kept trying to follow her line of flight , but lost it this time due to debris flying back at her. She tried to target her nemesis again with another plasma ball, but Kim sailed right in before she could see her, and belted her with a right cross that disrupted her concentration. Shego yelled as she flew off from the blow, then turned around and aimed another shot at her rival where she landed on the floor, blowing another twenty foot hole in the concrete, only to see Kim fifty feet away crouching on the remains of the mezzanine fence up above, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

"What's the matter, Shego?", Kim said, "Need glasses or something?"

Shego's face contorted in rage, firing off more blasts at the whirling figure who moved faster than she could follow. Somehow, just as she thought she nailed the girl, she would appear out of nowhere in another unexpected location. A dozen more blasts failed to bring her down, and then after the one that took out half of the back wall of the hangar, she couldn't see her at all. Looking frantically around, she never saw her coming until it was too late as Kim bounced in from above and behind. At the moment Shego turned her head up and looked, Kim slammed into her with another right cross. She grimaced in pain as she did it, her ribs crying out in agony.

The bird of prey suddenly disappeared and Shego fell to the floor, Kim landing right next to her. The torture in Kim's ribs screamed at her to stop, but she refused to let up, knowing she had no choice but to keep going. She got up slowly holding her arm around her ribs. Shego got her bearings back and roared, rising to come after her, not even bothering to power up. Kim yelled back her defiance and also charged. They both crashed together, hammering each other mercilessly with an explosion of knife strikes, kicks, and punches. Kim kept looking for an opening, then got one when Shego thought she had her and tried to finish her off with a wheel kick. Kim ducked it, moved in, and back kicked her away. Shego soared thirty feet and crashed into a mass of metal shards. Almost immediately, she flew back up, sheer fury screaming from her voice, encased in the burning green sphere with her hands lit up. Kim gasped and jumped as the plasma blasts hounded her again, coming closer and closer each time.

Something was different, though. As Kim jumped away, she noticed the blasts were weaker, and she realized her guess about them might be on target. Shego had to concentrate to control her energy, and the madder she got, the less she could do it. That gave Kim the idea of what she needed to do. She waited for her chance, and finally got it. Leaping off a broken structural beam which was vaporized behind her as she left it, Kim flew straight at Shego, surprising her with a turning back kick to the stomach. Hurled away, Shego gurgled as she fell into another pile of debris, her energy glow and hands snuffed out again. As she scrambled out of it, the wild alien look on her face confirmed to Kim she had the right idea.

Her voice little more than a croak from exhaustion and pain, she gloated at her, "Well, it looks like you're not so hot after all, are you, Shego? Even with all your new tricks, you still can't take me!" She laughed hoarsely at her.

"Hot enough to fry you, Possible!", Shego yelled back angrily.

Kim kept taunting her between ragged breaths, "As if! You still can't beat me! You couldn't even beat Ron!"

"Shut up!", Shego screamed, enraged beyond control, "Shut up! You are so gonna burn, Princess!"

Kim gritted her teeth and replied, almost snarling, "You can try, puke face!"

As she predicted, the fire disappeared out her arch-foe's hands, and Shego charged her again, howling like an animal. She came down on Kim with a double-fisted hammer blow straight at her head. Kim caught both wrists in her hands and held her there in a battle of sheer strength. Somehow, Shego managed to refocus through the rage as those fists suddenly lit up again and fired off blast after blast of green power all around them. Still weaker than usual, they were enough to buckle the floor and hew deep rifts in the ground beneath. The hangar shuddered and pieces of the roof and walls began to fall inward. Shego put her full weight onto her arch-foe, trying to force the burning hands right into her face, still roaring invectives at her. Kim slowly gave ground under the attack, sinking down to her knees, her ribs screaming at her yet again. Unexpectedly, she thought of Ron. She thought of that trust he had in her, the trust that she could do anything. Her eyes turned up to Shego's and turned into emerald daggers piercing into her arch-foe's vision and making her hesitate momentarily. It was enough.

Kim surprised Shego by shifting her body rapidly to the left. Off balance, the villainess fell forward, her burning fists swiftly plunging down past her arch-foe and burying themselves into the ground, blasting cracks in the concrete. The shock wave shot through the floor momentarily, jolting everything on it up in the air to land with multiple thuds and clangs. Shego tried to pull out, but Kim spun around and wheel kicked her full force on the left temple, knocking her off her feet. The force of the blow ripped her hands out of the concrete and as she sailed through the air a power blast erupted from her entire body that was bigger than anything she had ever let go before, convulsing her as the expenditure of that energy seemed to sap all her strength. The giant green fireball went straight up and spread out, engulfing the entire ceiling of the hangar. The hangar roof struts shattered with a deafening roar and began to crumple inward, starting to take the rest of the lair with it.

Kim fell heavily to her knees, her broken ribs continuing to groan agonizingly with pain, flying shrapnel and iron fragments still landing all around her. She could barely move from the exhaustion she felt. Breathing heavily, she heard the hangar roof start to wail with tearing metal as it began to sag inward. She looked towards Shego. Her arch-foe looked just as exhausted. She gingerly rose first to all fours, then to her knees, rubbing her head fiercely with both hands. Her face was anguished with pain and dizziness, and she barely could hold her balance, until she looked up and saw Kim about thirty feet from her.

This galvanized her, and she grinned luridly and growled in a whisper, "That's it, Princess. No more playtime. You're gone."

She closed her eyes and concentrated one more time, somehow creating the green energy again in her right hand as she began the last fireball that would finally vaporize her longtime enemy once and forever. She looked up again, smiling in Kim's direction as she began to throw it... ...and yelped as a grappling hook caught her wrist and pinned it against a nearby structural beam, instantly destroying her focus and snuffing the glow in her hand. She tried to restart her energy glow, but it wouldn't come... ...It just wouldn't come. She knew then. It was the dizziness, the exhaustion. She realized she had become too weak to concentrate well enough to do it anymore. Looking back, she saw Kim struggling towards her, that blasted hair dryer in her hand.

She could only think, 'I told Drakken to take that blasted hair dryer away! But did he listen? Noooooo!'

Shego grabbed the hook and started to break it loose. By the time she had pulled it out, Kim had reached her, and Shego struck out at her drunkenly with it. Kim dropped the hair dryer and evaded her. She lashed out and landed a solid right cross on her arch-foe's jaw. Shego spun around and went down to one knee, dropping the hook. As she groggily started to rise and turn back to fight, Kim confronted her.

"You're right, Shego!", she groaned, " No more playtime! In fact, no more playtime! Ever! Again!"

She inflicted a staggering left uppercut on Shego's chin which forcefully raised her up to a standing position. The woman teetered there, barely conscious, flailing her arms as she continued to try and ward Kim off.

"This one's for Ron!", Kim yelled at her in a hoarse voice, "Because he's in a better class of people than either of us!"

And she reached back and connected a hammering right fist into Shego's face. The blow slammed her back across the floor forty feet and she lay still, completely out.

Kim fell again to her knees, gasping for air, almost crying, doubling over with her head close to the floor trying to mentally control the mind ripping hell that her ribs gave her on that last exertion. As if in answer to her victory, twisting metal screamed above her as the whole place was now only moments from totally collapsing, the roof crying its distress fitfully. More rifts were forming in the hangar deck. She knew she had to get out, now. Broken rafters landed on the floor with loud clangs. The ceiling continued to litter the floor with shattered steel fragments. One rift cracked open right next to Shego and her body started to slide downward into the chasm it created. Her broken ribs still shrilling at her to stop, Kim struggled to stand and turned to leave, but something made her look back. She found herself thinking of Ron again, this time in the Tempus Simia Temple.

She kept hearing him say, "I can't leave her to die like this!"

In that moment she was frozen, the world falling apart around her, her face transfixed with pain and frustration. She did not want to do this! Not after all Shego had done! No way!

In the end, she did exactly what Ron would have wanted her to do. Kim struggled back, raggedly dodging in-between the falling rocks and snapped steel girder shreds, grabbing Shego's inert form just as it was about to fall into the chasm. She dragged her out onto the hangar floor into a relatively clear space. Exhausted more than she had ever been in her life, Kim had to stop there, unable to go on. She kept trying to keep hold her arch-foe's body, dragging it along, but slipped and collapsed heavily just as a large boulder fell on her leg. She screamed as she heard the bone crack. The pain that quickly followed engulfed her and almost made her pass out.

"Kim!"

To her surprise, she looked up and saw Jos. Her cousin had found Killigan and pulled him out of the debris, having already loaded him on a small air car which was normally stored in the roboplane and used for short trips whenever they landed. Thankfully, this one was larger than their previous hovercraft.

"I told you to stay put!", Kim barked angrily.

"I couldn't!", Jos cried, "When the place started falling apart, I had to come find you!"

Kim was about to let go with another retort, but then thought that under the circumstances, Ron, or she herself, would have done the same.

"Never mind.", she croaked, "Let's get out of here!"

As much as she could, she helped load Shego into the air car. Then Jos helped her hobble into the passenger side. The girl assumed the controls, gunning the lever hard into full speed position, and the air car shrilled loudly out of the hangar just as the lair finally groaned its last and collapsed upon itself.

* * *

The roboplane's engines droned smoothly as it carried Kim and Jos back home. When they first boarded the plane, Jos set Kim's leg with a first aid splint and gave her some pain pills that were in the trauma kit the plane carried. They left Killigan tied to a post back on the island for Global Justice. They would recover him when they came and cleaned up. Jos sat quietly up front communicating with headquarters and informing them on their status. She talked to her aunt, updating her on Kim's medical condition, occasionally looking towards the back where she could see Kim sitting on the bench next to Shego's cot, leaning back against the fuselage. Her cousin's demeanor was flat, leaden, and it worried her. She thought idly that if you dismissed the engine noise and her own voice, the complete lack of sound would be way too much to take.

Kim kept staring at Shego's still form. The villainess remained unconscious, but was shackled and had specially made metal hand mitts to keep her from throwing her green plasma blasts if or when she woke up... ...and if anything could possibly prevent her being able to power up anyway. Kim's anger kept threatening to take over, and it was hard for her not to go over there and beat that face into pulp. But it was still Ron's voice in her head which held her back.

She hurt. Oh, she hurt. She had never come back from a mission in this bad of a shape. Fortunately, the pain was more bearable, because she had succeeded. She accomplished the mission, and did it against her most dangerous foe. That satisfaction went a long way in helping her bear her injuries. She had to get back home, and then she had to go find Ron. But first thing's first. She had to get Shego secured safely away. Opening up the Kimmnicator, Kim clicked a couple of controls. Wade soon appeared.

"Wade, do a scan on Shego's injuries. Anything we need to worry about?"

He typed quickly and a sensor probe beam emitted from the Kimmunicator, scanning the unconscious woman from head to toe.

"No serious injuries that I can see.", he said, " Even with all you put her through, she is one tough customer."

"Got that right.", Kim muttered, her leg and ribs still throbbing, even through the pain meds.

"Wait a minute.", Wade added, "There's something on her belt. Scanning. It's some sort of signal device. From the frequency pattern it looks like it was used to interact with some of the devices at the Tempus Simia Temple. They had the same frequencies."

"Can you tell what it did?"

He continued typing, "Looks like it was an abort signal, a fail safe, probably to disarm the explosive devices Drakken had planted there."

Kim sat up, surprised, "And Shego didn't use it? What is wrong with her?"

"I'm not sure, Kim. But from what I've observed, I think you were right the first time. I think she's insane."

"She must be to do everything she's done recently.", she replied, "The question now is why."

"Whatever it is, it may also have something to do with Shego's greater power capability. But that's just speculation."

"As if there aren't enough problems.", Kim grumbled, "Now I have an arch-foe even more powerful than before, and insane to top it all off. Just wonderful. How am I going to keep her locked up?"

Wade continued scanning, "Kim, my scanning frequencies on the Kimmunicator aren't powerful enough to see for sure, but I think there's something odd going on inside Shego's head."

"Her head? What do you mean? Some mind control thing or something?"

"No. it looks more organic."

"Did I hit her too hard?"

"Uh, no. I don't think so. This doesn't look like an injury. It's something else."

"In her brain?"

"Looks like it."

"So, maybe this really is something that Mom should look into?"

"Definitely, I'll let her know what I've found."

"Good. Thanks, Wade. By the way, I'll give the abort device to Dad. It might help out at the site in Africa."

"Right. I'll let him know."

"Good, and Wade."

"Yeah, Kim?"

Kim paused, getting herself together before she spoke again.

"Look. I'm sorry for harshing like I did. I know I've been a real witch lately."

Wade chuckled, "Don't sweat it, Kim. I understand, and we're cool. Okay?"

Kim smiled, "Yeah, thanks. Check you later."

She shut the Kimmunicator down and stowed it in her pocket. Taking her time, she got up gingerly and crossed over to Shego, taking the abort signal unit off her arch-nemesis' belt and putting it on her own. Silently she looked down at her. Shego's face seemed so much at peace in this state. It was so different that Kim had a hard time believing this could be the same woman who was so evil, so bent on her destruction, and who may have succeeded in destroying Ron. She studied that face intently, hoping some revelation would come of it, but her mind remained blank. Giving up in disgust, she hobbled to the front of the plane and belted herself into her seat.

Jos looked up and said, "Everything okay back there?"

"Yeah, just fine.", replied Kim glumly, "Shego's still unconscious."

"What are you going to do with her?"

Kim closed her eyes, totally drained, sighing as she answered.

"I don't know for sure. Figure out how to finally keep her locked up, I guess. No ordinary prison can do it, so I'm just hoping Dad can find a way."

Jos smiled back sadly, "Yeah, we can hope."

Jos turned her attention back to the controls of the plane, even though the robo-pilot had things well in hand. For the rest of the trip, things remained quiet. Kim was too moody to converse and said nothing further. She just stared out the cockpit window in deep thought, her right hand closed over Ron's Star of David. Jos didn't press her. She knew Kim was in a lot of pain, both physical and mental, but it seemed whatever preoccupied her was keeping her mind off her injuries.

When they reached home base, Dr. Possible was appalled at her appearance and rushed Kim back into the infirmary. She soon had her leg properly re-casted. Luckily, it was a simple fracture of the fibula and didn't require more than that. But her ribs were re-injured in the fight and Dr. Possible had to check more x-rays to make sure she hadn't punctured a lung. Once she was satisfied Kim was stable, she put her to bed and Shego was brought in, still unconscious. Dr. Possible looked at her daughter's arch-foe and sniffed.

"Well, this will be interesting.", she said to herself.

A nurse started cutting away the sleeves of the green and black suit as another nurse strapped a rubber tourniquet around one arm and proceeded to place an IV line. Another drew blood from the other arm for lab work. Dr. Possible took a small penlight, opened each of Shego's eyes, and shined the light into each globe, checking the pupillary reflexes. She was surprised to see the left pupil a little larger than the other, and not quite as reactive. Frowning, she checked the rest of her reflexes and did not find anything out of the ordinary. She checked her pulses, then took a stethoscope and listened to her lungs. Everything seemed good there. She started to listen to her heart, but as she placed the bell of the stethoscope to her chest, Shego's body went stiff. Her arms bent inward and jerked, then her entire body starting to shake.

'Seizure!', thought Dr. Possible.

"Quick! Two milligrams Ativan, I.V.! Stat!", she shouted to the staff. When the syringe was given to her moments later, she administered it through the IV that had been placed in Shego's arm. The seizure quickly reduced in intensity and all activity was stopped within thirty seconds. She then ordered I.V. Cerebyx to be started and called for Jos.

Jos soon appeared, curious as to Shego's condition when she saw her.

"Is she okay, Aunt Annie?"

"She will be.", Dr. Possible answered, "Now Jos, how was Shego acting at the temple? Was she preoccupied, confused? Not acting right?"

Thinking carefully then nodding slowly, the girl answered, "Yes, ma'am, that's right. She seemed plumb out of her mind to me, and Ron and Kim, and she did act funny. There were times she seemed kind of confused, distracted."

"Did she ever faint or have some sort of seizure?"

"No, I didn't see that. But I did notice that she had trouble controlling her plasma blasts at times."

"Really? When?"

"Whenever she got really mad. It was, like, she lost her concentration or something. Actually Kim said she also did something like that this last time around. But to tell you the truth, I didn't think that much about it. She's a super villain. They don't have to be rational."

"Hmmm. That's true", mused Dr. Possible, rubbing her chin with one hand, "But with the information Wade gave me, yes. That may just be it."

"Is that all?", Jos asked, "I want to get back to communications and check how things are at the temple site with Uncle Jim."

Dr. Possible nodded, "Sure, Jos. And thanks. You've been very helpful."

Jos smiled and left the infirmary. Turning to one of the nurses, Dr. Possible gave her orders to get the MRI scanner ready.

"And get me some gadolinium contrast ready for the study as well.", she said as the nurse walked off to carry out the orders.

As her mother worked on Shego, Kim lay in bed, completely numb, feeling so lost. She reflected how she had said 'Yes', trying to assure Sensei and Nana, and her mother. 'I will carry on without Ron.', she had added. But she couldn't see how. Her injuries barely warranted any attention compared to the empty nothingness in her soul. Her plaster-casted leg was suspended above the bed, and bandages covered her head, arms, and torso, though thankfully her hair remained free. She didn't have to have it cut off or anything. Her left hand held a picture of Ron and herself. Her right hand pressed tight on Ron's Star of David against her chest, as if it would somehow force her to forget him if she let go. The picture was one from the night of the junior prom, the night they defeated the diablos. It had been taken shortly after the dance. Ron was in that ridiculous tuxedo he thought was so cool. She was in the sky blue dress with the burnt hem. He was behind her, his arms wrapped around and holding on to her arms in front, which she had wrapped around her waist in a comfortable embrace. His chin was on her right shoulder. They were both looking into the camera, smiling widely. Tears running down her cheeks, she kept looking at that face of his, wondering how before this moment she didn't see how much happiness was shining through his eyes. 'How did I miss that before?', she wondered. She opened up her right hand and looked at the Star.

It was so hard. Just. So. Hard. Everything reasonable told her there was no way Ron would make it out all right. There was no way she could see how he could return to her. ...So hard... ...So hard to keep that faith. Somehow, she knew she had to fight to do it, to not lose hope. She just had no clue how. Looking again at the Star of David, she realized she would never take that star off again unless it was to put it back on Ron himself, and she could only pray she would get the chance.

She sobbed at the irony of it, the tears falling lightly onto the bed sheets. They had gone through so much together. Fourteen years, almost their entire life spans as friends, and now as so much more. He had been her best friend, her confident, her partner, her sidekick, and now the love of her life, only to come to this, to the pinnacle of their relationship together, an affirmation of the very reason they ever lived at all, only for her to end up in an existence that almost certainly would not include him. She could not believe fate could play such a cruel hoax on her, to subject her to such an inhuman ending for her life. Yet, what else was there? There was nothing to be done but live the rest of her life as she had promised, as she said, to honor him in the way she said she would.

She continued to cry softly, gazing at the Star. The small diamonds shined for her tenderly as if already imbued with the love he had professed and given her. Eighteen small stones, one for each year of his life, like small beacons of resounding adoration that reached to her as if he were there within the Star, as he had said, with the very spirit which he promised would be there always, even if he himself wasn't. She hoped that somehow, it could be the key for her to be able to go on without him, a symbol, a connection that could comfort her, a link that would somehow let her know for sure that he would be there for her. Always. Forever.

She was indifferent to everything around her until a disturbance erupted outside her room, anxious shouting coming from the infirmary. The infirmary rooms surrounded the main infirmary bay and were set up with windows, so she could see into that area where her mother was working on Shego. Jos had run through, shouting something. Her mother's eyes went wide, and she yelled something back at Jos.

'What is wrong?', Kim thought, but then saw her mother's face come alive with excitement and relief, a look of incredulous happiness. Jos didn't even slow down as she ran for Kim's room and slammed the door open, flying in with excited eyes and squealing.

"We just picked up Rufus! Ron's alive!"


	20. Chapter 20

At the site of the destroyed Tempus Simia Temple, the excavation team burgeoned with activity, working at a frantic pace as the day waned into dusk. It was still hot and muggy, which might have made it even worse because that was when the biting insects started to come out into the clearing. Fortunately, Wade had rigged a special subsonic wave emitter that was tuned to the frequency that irritated the bugs and kept them away. Even with that comfort however, the heat alone still made the work difficult. Sweat soaked Dr. Possible's shirt as he pored over the schematics of the temple that Wade had put together. He had been able to tap into Drakken's monitoring system long enough to get a good idea of the floor plan of the place before it had blown up. Dr. Possible studied the drawings, talking with another engineer, pointing at one particular part of the temple's architecture as a small pink rodent hopped around the table, repeatedly squeaking and pointing to the same part of the drawing. He looked up and grinned at the naked mole rat.

"I got it, Rufus! I know exactly where he is now.", he said confidently, 'Just calm down. We'll find him."

Rufus scampered to the side of the table and sat there as calmly as he could, though he still chittered his worry and concern for his human. He looked back towards the crater, hoping that somehow he would just simply run up out of there to greet him again. But then something else caught his attention. His eyes popped open as he spied a familiar friend coming onto the scene. Squawking with joy, he bounded off the table and ran straight for her. Observing Rufus' reaction, Dr. Possible also looked up and smiled when he saw who had arrived.

"I'll be back shortly.", he told the engineer, then left to greet his wife and daughter. First though, he detoured towards the crater to give some instructions to the teams there.

Mrs. Dr. Possible pushed her daughter in her wheelchair directly towards the crater, both of them anxious to see what the latest progress was. Normally, there was no way she would have allowed her daughter to leave her infirmary bed in her condition, but Kim flat out threw an angry fit and would not be left behind. Finding Rufus had galvanized her hope to such a level that she just could not stay away, and taking her along was the only thing that her mother could do that would settle her down. She was so caught up with anticipation she had not even bothered to change out of her ragged mission clothes, stained and dirty as they were. Craning her neck to see ahead, Kim's face was fraught with tension as they reached the lip of the crater where her father was now shouting to all the workers in the field who were getting the salvaging equipment into place. She heard a high pitched squeal as Rufus suddenly came out of nowhere and landed in her lap.

"Rufus!", she exclaimed, grabbing the naked mole rat and hugging him to her face. The poor creature hung on to her for dear life, chattering and muttering happily until she finally had to gently pry him off.

"Are you okay?", she asked, as he looked at her.

He nodded quickly, voicing his concern for her as well.

"Well, you stay with me now, okay? We'll get through this."

He chirped his worry again, this time in stronger terms.

"I know, Rufus.", she said softly, "But trust me, We'll find him, okay?"

The mole rat looked sad but nodded. Then Kim put him in her pants pocket to let him settle in.

"I didn't know you spoke mole rat, Kimmie.", said her mother.

"Well...", Kim said, smiling slightly, "It kind of rubbed off over time from Ron, you know."

"Yes, I can see that. ", her mother replied, chuckling as she pushed her along.

They went on towards the lip of the crater where her husband stood shouting down into it.

"Careful down there!", he yelled to the workers working on the rubble in the pit trying to set up motion sensors, "We can't risk any shifting of the debris!"

Kim dreaded what she would see. As it came into view, Kim looked with anguish at the shattered rock in the pit, remembering again that horrifying explosion, her stomach quivering with nausea and anxiety. Despite her father's optimism, it still seemed impossible in her mind that there was any way they could safely get to Ron through the thousands of tons of stone in that pit. According to her father, there was a way, but only one way. He intended to use one of his latest inventions, a huge gamma driller that he said would burn a tunnel into this broken ground, literally disintegrating a path into it, yet fusing the sides into stable walls that would prevent it from falling in upon itself. This virtually eliminated the risk of the rubble shifting and compressing further, the risk of catastrophe reduced thankfully to a rare occurrence. But it had to be done very carefully or it could completely collapse the entire tunnel, probably crushing Ron in the process... ...if he wasn't crushed already. Kim's anxiety made her unable to be that hopeful of their chances, and she had to struggle to keep from crying again, to not become overwhelmed about a bad outcome that seemed inevitable.

Nearby, a chain of rollers had been constructed that ran a makeshift conveyor belt that rose upward over the lip of the crater to haul away any residual scree, a safeguard for any shifting that might occur with the delicate operation her father planned. Scanning the rubble, it appeared to Kim there had been no further shifting of it since she last saw it, and her father confirmed that was true. The level of the rubble remained twenty feet below ground level, forcing the conveyor belt go upwards at a fairly steep angle. There were rope ladders swung over the side in several places to allow the workers to come and go. Dr. Possible finished giving his instructions to the pit crew then turned and gave his girls a cautious smile. He embraced his wife, then his daughter.

"How are you doing?", her father asked, his eyes filled with concern.

Kim grimaced a smile at him and nodded silently.

"This is going to have to be a very precise procedure.", he told her gravely, "Rufus has given us the right coordinates to find Ron―"

"Is he still alive, Dad?", interrupted Kim anxiously, "Is there a chance we can get to him before...?"

Dr. Possible managed a slight smile on his taut face, "Wade got some life sign readings on his equipment... ... But they were very faint. He can't be a hundred per cent sure of their point of origin. But don't worry about that now, Kimmie-cub. Let's just concentrate on reaching him, okay? Now, you should know a misstep could cause the rubble to shift, and might hurt him even more, or worse, but I want you to know I think I've got a really good chance to be able to get down to where he is and break through without... ...any problem... ...uh..."

Dr. Possible could see his explanation wasn't really helping that much.

"Honey.", he said, "I promise you, if it can be done, I will find him... ...I will."

This was more reassuring, and she smiled, albeit painfully, as she softly replied, "Thank you, Daddy―..."

Her father grinned confidently before being suddenly distracted by a huge gust of wind from loud chopper blades, "Hey! Get that thing into place now!"

Now aware of the arrival of the huge Chinook helicopter carrying his main tool, Dr. Possible stepped away and directed the placement of the massive gamma driller into the correct position. The machine had been air-dropped by plane to an improvised landing strip nearby, then picked up by the Chinook and transported the rest of the way. He spent the next several minutes working on getting it anchored exactly, parking the machine on the lip of the crater close to where Kim and her mother were waiting. As she watched, Kim realized she could not be more thankful that Team Possible now had the resources for this kind of operation. Six months ago, none of this could have ever been done. It was amazing to her how her whole family was now involved too. Even the tweebs had come to help where they could and provide moral support, sort of, though she suspected the real reason was her parents probably couldn't find a baby sitter in time. Still, it was nice they were here and actually behaving for once.

After what seemed an interminable wait, the driller was finally set in place, the legs staked into the ground, and the cables loosed. The Chinook slowly lifted away into the setting sun as darkness infiltrated the sky. The excavation team personnel began setting up high powered spotlights all around the site to work through the night. A radio equipment tent had been set up nearby and was flush with signal activity with home base, people going back and forth with communications. The tweebs were helping out there, taking messages. Her father continued to stand on the gamma driller, intently peering at the controls and display screen, lining up the device exactly so that the laser would cut a precise path. Once he got it perfectly programmed, Dr. Possible checked the coordinates on the control panel once more to be sure of his calculations, then turned the machine on. A green glow, not too different from the glow of Shego's hands Kim thought idly, shot out in a beam from the driller. It bored into the broken rock with a screeching noise.

The first rocks hit by the beam melted away, the rubble partially dissolving and shifting to the outside of the light shaft. A solid tunnel began to appear. A scattering of tiny laser beam rays also bounced harmlessly off the scree at different frequencies, splaying the colors of the spectrum up from the pit in an eerie light show. The main beam seemed to literally erase the stone from existence otherwise, though only fractions of an inch at a time. Kim could see then it was going to be painfully slow work. Her father was taking every precaution he could to safely get to Ron, and it would take several hours to reach him as the gamma driller was set to the lowest intensity to form the tunnel, giving the greatest chance of leaving the rubble undisturbed. Still, she was intensely worried as she closely watched the work.

Her mother left her for a time and returned with some bottled water for her and a coffee for herself. Setting up a small stool by the wheelchair, she sat down and the two of them watched the bright laser-like light show together. They just sat there, silent, unmoving, mesmerized by the flickering beams caroming off the rock. Dr. Possible observed her closely, seeing her daughter's face taut with anxiety, and she reached over and held her hand to comfort her. Momentarily, Kim looked back at her and smiled, appreciating the gesture, before returning her gaze to the site, the fretting back on her face.

In that moment, the only thing Dr. Possible wanted to do was find some way to ease her daughter's mind.

"You do know.", She said hopefully, "We are going to find him. You know that, right?."

Kim turned her eyes back to her mother, that little smirk on her face again.

"Thanks, Mom.", she said softly, "I know. I just... ...I just hope it's in time."

"It will be, honey. Then you can tell him everything you want to say."

"Yeah.", she replied thoughtfully, "I will, and so much more."

A curious look crossed her mother's features.

She asked, "What is it, dear?"

Kim kept staring at the site, the light reflecting off of her face with various shades of green, yellow, and red.

"It's... ...Mom, I... ...I keep remembering... ...I've known Ron all of my life. I can't recall a time when he wasn't there. It's like my life simply wouldn't be right without him. Do you know I remember when we met in preschool?"

Unexpectedly, Kim laughed out loud.

"Do you know the first thing I said to him?", she said, "I said, 'You're weird. But I like you.'"

Her mother chuckled as Kim smiled at the memory.

"We connected on a level that I have never had with anybody else.", Kim continued, "Sure, I had other friends in school and I had fun with them, but Ron was always the one who knew what I was thinking..."

She smiled again briefly.

"Most of the time anyway. But a lot of times, he knew what I felt without me even telling him."

Her melancholy look came back.

"When I began cheerleading, he always supported me, backing me up, being my cheerleader... ...kind of. The year the website took off, he completely dedicated himself to being my sidekick, trying to help out any way he could."

Kim paused, reminiscing, her face relaxing with her remembrances.

"And you know, Mom, I really couldn't have done any of this without him. It would have never gone to this level if he hadn't pushed me at the right times. He was the one who made me take that first step to saving the world when we rescued Mr. Paisley. You see, my idea to solve the problem was to just call the police. But he and Rufus managed to get us inside to where I could be the hero. That's when I knew I could do it."

She looked back at the pit, a look of awe on her face.

"That's when I knew, Mom.", she whispered softly, "That's when I knew I really could save the world."

She took a deep breath, looking down at the ground with closed eyes, gathering her thoughts.

"The only thing that got in the way was his being, you know, Ron."

Her mother said, "I do recall he often seemed to be doing something that irritated you."

Kim nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Well, it wasn't so bad when we were growing up, you know. I mean, we both were doing kid stuff like that. It wasn't until high school that it really became obvious..."

She added in irritation, "...Like the tweebs do now."

Her mother smiled, laughing quietly.

"Just remember you were just as exasperating when you were their age, dear."

Kim looked at her askance.

"I guess so, Mom.", Kim replied in a mock grudging manner, smirking, "Still, when we got to high school, Ron kept doing all that stuff, and it kept getting him pushed away by the other kids more and more, even when I stood by him. But I stood by him, even when the kids would push me away too."

"That's what best friends do, dear."

Kim nodded again, her mood somber again, still looking out over the crater.

"Got that right, Mom.", she said in a firm reply.

Dr. Possible leaned forward and put her arm around her daughter's shoulders, stroking her hair gently.

She softly kissed her daughter's forehead and said, "Kimmie, I want you to know how proud of you I am, and that your father and I love you so very much. I also want you to understand how driven you are, and that it's okay. Few people I know have your zeal for excellence, your desire to be the best at whatever you do. That is one of the marks of a true leader, someone who makes a difference in the world. Both of us have been so thrilled with your accomplishments in the short time we have been blessed to have you here with us."

She looked into her mother's face and smiled, her eyes tearing up, whispering, "Thanks, Mom. I love you both too."

Her mother smiled back and hugged her closer. Kim chuckled, causing Dr. Possible to smile even wider.

She asked, "What is it, honey?"

Kim kept chuckling, then remarked, "Remember when Ron and I were sophomores and I got François to give him that haircut, the one that got all the girls in school to go after him? And I was the one saying I knew what was best for Ron because he didn't? Gosh! I was so sure then I was right, that I could change him!"

They both laughed and her mother replied, "Oh, yeah. You have to take the men in your life and love them as they are.

"Believe me,", she added, rolling her eyes, "I've tried, too."

"Riiiight.", replied Kim, laughing a few moments more before looking over the site again.

She became quiet and introspective again. Her demeanor had lightened somewhat with the mirth they shared, but Dr. Possible could still see the worry lines return to her forehead. The smile on Kim's face faded again as she stared at the pit, a deeper, calmer expression coming over her face.

"I thought I knew it all.", she said softly, "Instead, I turned him into the 'glam monster'. Fortunately, he didn't stay with it and went back to being the 'old Ron'. After that he just kept being kind of weird and immature, doing all that crazy stuff he did. But his saving grace was always that he has the biggest, most generous heart of anyone I know."

She became peaceful, a contentment calming her as she went on.

"And then, he grew up. At the end of the junior year. I know now, that's when it started. Maybe he was just a late bloomer or something. I don't know. But now, you know, Mom. I really think I might have always loved him. I just had to wait until it was the right time for me to finally realize it."

Dr. Possible gazed at her, a knowing look on her face accompanying her smile.

"Yes, honey.", replied her mother serenely, "I had always thought so."

Kim turned back to her mother, the question in her eyes, blinking for a moment, then asking, "What do you mean?"

Her mother kept smiling at her, her blue eyes reflecting the glints and brilliant hues of the gamma beam with the love she felt for her daughter.

"Kimmie.", she said, "It's so special when two people become lifelong friends starting at such an early age like you and Ron. And the fact it was a boy who was your best friend did not escape me either. To be honest, I expected at some point the two of you would just grow out of it and go your separate ways. But when you both started doing the missions together, I could see you two becoming closer. That's when I was sure he was right for you, although that diablo situation sure gave me a scare."

"Ouch.", Kim replied with a grimace, "Don't remind me."

"I know, honey. But my point is that I could see you two would be best friends for life by then. And I believe best friends make the best marriages. I felt I just had to wait until it did come about, that the love you and Ron share became reality, became more than just friendship. And I am so thankful I was right. I am so grateful now you both have found each other, because you two really are soul mates."

"Just like you and Dad, huh?"

"Oh yeah.", replied her mother quietly, smiling.

Kim looked at the pit again, absorbing the meaning of her mother's words, her demeanor unexpectedly clouding. Her face became withdrawn and sad.

"But it didn't work out that way, did it?", she said sadly.

Tears filled her eyes, and she turned back to her mother and held on to her closely, suddenly distressed again as she tried to keep from crying, but couldn't.

"This was the right time!", she said between small sobs, "The time when I could have, should have told him how I felt! And he's not here! Oh, God, Mom! We had just gotten back to telling each other everything! I so wish he would have told me about Japan and his new abilities earlier! He waited too long! I didn't have the chance to tell him the most important thing. I want to let it all out, Mom. I still need to! I need him to come back and hear me tell him what I have to say to him, what I need to say to him!"

Her mother held on to her tightly as Kim buried her face into her shoulder, shaking with each sharp exhalation, the words failing both of them. In a moment, she was able to get herself together enough to go on, pulling back to face her mother, the pain now fully transfiguring her face.

"At first, I played him. I didn't mean to. But I really didn't treat him the way a BF deserved. Then that Halloween night, when he made me see what I was doing wrong, when he made me realize I did the right thing with Eric, that I didn't make a mistake... ...I saw that he really did understand me, and that I could really depend on him to be a real partner. I thought then, I could love him the way he deserved, even if he didn't make my heart leap. I thought, well, maybe I would learn to love him in time just for that...

"I never dreamed he really could be all that, Mom, and it's my fault! I didn't understand because I was wrong about that too!", she cried in self-castigation, "I tried to expect perfection from him just like I thought 'Eric' was perfect, because I didn't realize that his imperfections were what made him the person I fell in love with! I loved the way he would say 'I got nothin'! I loved the way he would just run screaming from some bad guy! I loved the way he pulled all those crazy stunts! The Prince Wally Campaign! Being the Fearless Ferret! The home video thing and 'Ron's Big Day'! All of it!"

Her voice tapered back down to a soft echo, "I loved the way he did all those things because they were part of him, because they made up the whole person who would always be my best friend, no matter what, who would never stop loving me for who I am, no matter what mistakes I made, who since has grown so much and given it all for me. I know I would have loved him just for being that, and yet he became so much more, just for me. There was the Killigan mission... ...Christmas... ...here in Africa... ...And I realized that I would love him more than I had ever loved Eric because of the imperfections. He became my dream, Mom. I just need for him to hear me say how much he means to me, from me. And if he does... ...I will give this up, Mom."

Her mother looked at her in consternation.

"Giving it up? You mean...?"

"Yes, Mom", Kim said, "I'll give up saving the world. If that's what it takes to be with Ron... ...yes."

"Are you sure, dear? Do you think you have to do that?"

"He's worth it, Mom. He's so worth it. And I am not going to risk him. He's already almost died twice to save me, maybe for sure this time. Never again! Not if I can help it."

"But that was never a problem before."

"I wasn't in love with him before. If... ...if only I had seen this sooner."

With a bittersweet smile, Dr. Possible gathered Kim back into her embrace. Gently holding her daughter as she cried, and stroking her hair, she said softly, "It's okay, honey. You're not to blame. It's okay, it'll be okay. I believe so strongly you will get your chance to tell him yourself how you feel. And I can understand your decision. I understand..."

The air boomed with a deafening crack, cutting her off. Stunned they both saw the crater erupt in flame, and the explosion that pounded the far end of the pit spewed boulders and rocks five hundred feet in the air, raining them down over the entire site. Frozen in shock, they both stared, trying to comprehend what just happened as the ground shook, searchlights toppling and breaking with bright popping flashes of electrical sparks. The workers began to yell as someone screamed for them to get out of the pit now, a slow rumble with a muffled roar coming out of the ground.

Her father shot out of a nearby tent where he was going over the plans for the operation, struggling through the chaos of people milling about trying to make sense of what had just happened. Finally, he got clear and ran straight for the Gamma Driller, yelling, "Shut it down! Shut it down!"

None of the boulders came close to Kim and her mother, though she tensely stayed ready to act if needed. No leg cast was going to keep her pinned down. All the workers near the pit were running off, scattering in every direction dodging granite boulders and car sized rocks falling around them. Fortunately none of them went toward the giant machine. Dr Possible jumped on the Gamma Driller, slamming his fist down on control buttons, initiating the shut down sequence. He worked the controls and the green energy beam soon flickered out.

But the rumble continued to grow. The ground started quaking harder.

He looked around in shock, at a loss what to do. He jumped off the machine and ran over to his wife and daughter, still frozen in place.

Kim was frantic, shouting, "Dad! We have to stop it! Ron will be crushed!"

"I can't stop it, honey!", he yelled back, "Some of Drakken's explosives are still in there and they're still armed! One of them just went off! There probably are others!"

"But I thought Wade said there weren't any more explosives!"

"Apparently he couldn't detect all of them! The probes can see through the rock only so deep! These must have been below scanning range! I think they must have motion triggers to make them go off like this!"

"Do something, Dad! Please!"

Kim's dad looked into her eyes with a wracked expression, looking helpless.

"I can't, Kimmie! I can't! I can't control this!"

She looked at him in horror.

"Can Ron survive this?"

He said nothing, but the look in his eyes betrayed the answer. Kim's face went white.

"Oh, no! _No! Ronnnnnn!_ "

She screamed his name again as her mother and father embraced her, partially to keep her from trying to get out of her wheelchair, but also to try and take a share of the pain. She kept thinking 'I've got to shut it down! I got to find a way! There's no time!"

Time was suspended by her horror. Images of Ron, injured and hurt, lying underneath shifting rubble flashed through her mind. The terror of all that stone crushing him slammed into her consciousness with an unbearable pain as the image of Drakken and then Shego laughing in triumph forced their way into the imagery, threatening to wipe Ron's visage out. Shego's plasma energy flared into the giant phoenix once more as she stood there playing around with something on her belt. She was playing with something... ...on her belt?

Kim remembered.

Her mind clouded over, shutting out all sound and sight except that one thing, that incidental item she had forgotten to give to her Dad. Looking down, she saw it there, the abort signal device on her belt. Reaching down she activated it.

It beeped in acknowledgement. For thirty terrifying, excruciatingly painful seconds, the rumbling continued. Brought back suddenly by the thunder, Kim sat in her wheelchair in sheer terror, locked in her parents' embrace, praying as hard as she could that it would all stop. Forty seconds passed... ...fifty...

Then, as if in answer, she could hear it begin to recede. Miraculously, the earthquake stopped almost immediately after that, and in less than a minute more, the ground became still and quiet. Stunned, she stared in awe and hope as her parents slowly raised their eyes up in surprise. Kim's dad went over and cautiously knelt at the lip of the crater, carefully looking the site over. When he was satisfied, he got back up and returned to where Kim was sitting, breathing hard, her fear blazing from her eyes, not wanting to hear how bad it was, dreading that he would say they had lost Ron.

Her father smiled.

"Whew! I don't know what happened. We're lucky, Kimmie. I don't think the ground has shifted at all where Ron is supposed to be."

"Wha...?", Kim whispered.

Kim blinked in amazement. Slowly she unwound from her mother's grasp.

"But, honey. ", asked Mrs. Dr. Possible, "Was there enough of a shift? Was his position threatened?"

"I don't think so, dear." , he replied, "From what I could tell of the explosion pattern before, the explosives were set in two ways. First, there were small independent charges made to spread out and produce weakness in the important support areas of the temple structure. Then there were the key charges set to bring the whole thing down. The first explosion was a big one going off at the wrong time. The rumbling and the ground shaking after that were due to several small ones going off in succession, like a cascade. But they fired in the wrong order, so nothing could be collapsed further. Then something stopped the chain reaction and shut it down, Fortunately, it happened before it could spread over to that side. Thank our lucky stars!"

But Kim knew what happened.

'No.', she thought to herself, her tears quietly coming down her cheeks as she held up the abort signal device, 'No, it wasn't luck.'

Her eyes glistening, she looked up at the sky in gratitude.

'Thank you, Sensei, Nana!', she thought, ' Thank you for helping me make the right decision. Going after Shego was what I had to do.'

She looked back down at her father, her features composed more peacefully as she said, "I think it's okay now, Dad. You can try the gamma driller again."

He looked at her strangely.

"How do you know, Kimmie?"

A look of guilt over came her as she took the abort signal device and handed it to him.

"I... ...I forgot to give it to you. I was just too worried. I'm sorry!", and she broke down again, crying.

"No! No! Kimmie-cub!", he said, quickly embracing her, "It's all right! It's all right!"

Her father holding her was enough to soothe her again, and she gratefully held on to him for a good while. She told him about the device then, but he gently cut her off and said Wade had already filled him in. He had forgotten about it too, and although Dr. Possible was a little miffed she hadn't given it to him earlier, he said nothing. Nothing further needed to be said about it now, or ever.

He dried her tears and smiled into her face, saying, "It's okay, Kimmie. I think you're right. We'll get right back on it now.", and he was rewarded with a smile of her own.

He kissed her cheek, then got up and shouted for the driller crews to come back into the area. Barking orders sharply, he quickly re-organized the entire operation. More searchlights were brought into the area to replace the shattered ones. Workers returned to the sunken pit to help with the conveyor belt. Soon the gamma driller was screeching its way into the broken rock again, and this time there were no further problems.

Then Dr. Possible came back to his family and said, "Okay, it's a waiting game now."

* * *

It was six hours later. Kim's mother had moved her some distance away from the crater and the lights so she could get some rest. Once the noise level died down, she fell asleep in her wheelchair. Her head was supported on the back of the chair, slowly lolling back and forth with her breathing when she jerked awake, disturbed by a commotion coming from the pit. Groggily she realized there were voices shouting excitedly. At first, she couldn't make out the words but then heard, "We found him! We found him!"

In a flash, she became galvanized into action.

"Mom! Mom!"

She tried to get out of the chair and struggle over to the site, but her mother was having none of that and came up, firmly putting her back into her seat.

"You're not leaving that wheelchair, young lady!"

"Mom!"

"It's okay, Kimmie! I'll take you there."

Dr. Possible wheeled her back over to the edge of the giant crater, closer to where the drilling had taken place. The gamma driller was off now. Close to the center she could see the large tunnel that was made by it. It was bedlam around it, and people were milling all over the place. Frustrated, she tried to rise up higher out of the wheelchair, craning her neck to view things better, but she just couldn't see anything very well. Then she spotted two men carrying a stretcher with a covered figure on it.

She gasped when she saw Ron's tousled hair jutting out from under the blanket.

"Oh, God! Mom! Look!", she cried, trying again to scramble out of the chair to get to him, but her mother held her firm until she settled back down. She could only stare anxiously as they carried him to the rigged pulley system that brought the stretcher up to the lip of the crater.

Her breath caught in her throat. Ron's stretcher was elevated up to edge of the giant hole and lifted onto the rim where she and her mother waited. Quickly, Dr. Possible knelt down and checked him out as Rufus shot out of Kim's pocket and settled himself onto the blanket, peering closely into Ron's face and loudly chittering to him in a worried frenzy.

Frozen in place, and fearful, Kim asked almost inaudibly, "Is he... ...Is he okay?"

Her mother looked up with a concerned look at her daughter, but smiled, "He's badly hurt and dehydrated, but he's alive. He's going to make it."

Kim's soul blazed into ecstasy with those words as she gasped her relief. Tears filled her eyes again as she looked at Ron's unconscious form, his face looking peaceful despite the cracked lips and parched and heavily bruised skin. She let out a huge breath, the tension flowing from her in a flood. Workers picked him up and brought him closer to where she could reach out and touch his cheek, just to make sure he was real, to feel this was not just a hopeless dream, that he was indeed alive and really coming back to her, and for the first time in two days, and actually, she realized, since the junior prom a year before, she felt alive again.

'As long as he's okay.', she thought.

The joy shining from her face, she turned to her mother and whispered, "Let's go home, Mom."

Kim lay next to Ron on the plane, locking herself in an embrace of his body as much as her leg cast and the rough cot would let her. He remained unconscious, his mouth and skin parched from dehydration, the skin leathery and blotched purple with bruises. The steady drone of the jet engines was lulling, almost pleasant, murmuring to her the reassurance that they really were taking them home, bringing Kim and her love back to safety where her life would no longer be empty, no longer without meaning. The lights of the rear fuselage of the plane had been dimmed, softly playing shadows on his face through her hair as she lay there, her head on his chest as she caressed him with her free hand.

Medical treatment of his condition had already been initiated. A nurse that came with her mother started intravenous fluids as soon as she could get a line in him, and her mother placed a temporary cast on his arm. His wounds were dressed and the gash on his stomach was washed out with saline and covered with gauze. That would have to be stitched later. Still, Kim worried he wasn't doing well because he wasn't waking up. Her mother assured her he would, but warned her it might take awhile. It still made Kim fret. She lay there, her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart to be sure he wasn't getting worse, her arms embracing his body as if knowing all she had to do to heal him was by holding him in her arms. Occasionally she would lift her head up and look at his face to see if he said anything or just opened his eyes, to see him knowing that she was there. But he wasn't waking up.

It worried her with almost aching despair until halfway back to Middleton, when much to her relief he began to stir. She felt him move. Gasping, she propped herself up on her left elbow, looking down at his face expectantly. There was so much she wanted to say. So, so much. But right now there was only one thing she really needed to tell him, that she had to say now. The rest would come later...

Consciousness slowly filtered into Ron's mind. The last thing he remembered was laying in pain on that pile of rocks, watching the ceiling crack up, expecting it to fall any second. 'It must have fallen', he thought, 'So, now what? Am I in Heaven?'

At first, there was nothing but darkness followed by a blur of light, a steady but pleasant hum filling his ears. There were no shapes initially, but then individual colors began to coalesce, organizing into distinct forms, the most prominent of which were two masses of emerald.

And the first thing Ron saw were the most beautiful wide green eyes he had ever seen in his life. He had thought before he blacked out that he would never see them again. It was followed by a sound that really could only have come from Heaven. Though it hurt, he managed to crack a slight smile.

"Hi, there.", said a soft, almost breathless voice, spoken by an angel... ...his angel.

Somehow, he realized, he was out. Rufus did it. They succeeded in finding him, bringing him back to the only real Heaven he really would ever want, or know.

He slowly wet his cracked lips and smiled wider, rasping in a whisper.

"Hey... ...K.P... ...told you I'd be back... ...one way... ...or the other."

Cupping his face with her free hand, she smiled back at him, "Yes, you did. Looks like I'll have to remember you really can keep your word."

He tried to laugh, but only got out a small croak, then said, "Totally, yeah... ...Everyone got out okay... ...right?"

"Yeah, even Shego."

She didn't tell him about what happened after Africa. That would come later too.

"I'm glad.", he said, still rasping in a halting manner, "It was... ...the right thing to do."

"You were right about that, Ron. You were so right.", she replied softly, her eyes watering as she stroked his cheek, "But you're back now. You're safe. Safe with me."

"I wouldn't want to be... ...anywhere else... ...I still... ...got your back..."

She smiled at that and replied, "Yeah, and I have something for you."

With her right hand, she slowly took the Star of David off from around her neck and put over his head, settling it over his chest.

"I've been keeping this, for when you returned."

"Oh, wow.", He said, "You remembered. Thanks, Kim. I really didn't want to lose that. But I... ...I wasn't sure I would... ...would have made... ...uh..."

"You weren't sure you would have made it back, huh?"

He stared at her now, worry making him frown.

Weakly, he replied, "I'm sorry, Kim. I'm so sorry. I did have my doubts about being able to, you know, come back. And I wanted you to have it, just in case."

"You were sure you were going to die, didn't you?", she whispered.

He stared at her, seeing she figured it out.

"I had to save you...it was the only way..."

Kim's eyes watered up even more, struggling to keep her smile as she very softly whispered, "I know, Ron. I know. I knew what you were going to do as soon as you threw the star to me. That's why I was so scared.", her voice cracking at the end.

"I'm so sorry.", he rasped again, full of remorse, his voice getting a little stronger, "I didn't want to do that. But I had no choice. I had... ...no choice."

"I know, Ron, I know. Sensei told me about it. It's okay now, it's okay.", she whispered, still smiling, the tears spilling onto her cheeks.

Reassured, he relaxed a little more, blinking as he saw something else in her eyes, something he had never really seen before in her. It was a look of belief, a true belief in him, and now also in herself. It was enough before that she adored him. But this, this was even more. Thank Heaven for the Mystical Monkey Power. What a gift! He could see she really believed in him, and it felt so incredible, so invigorating. It was the final vindication of his purpose, because he had succeeded, he had brought her back, back to herself. He took a deep breath and let it out, feeling a little stronger.

He said, "I'm glad, Kim. It looks like you were sure that... ...that I would make it back then, huh?"

Kim's smile grew wider, looking wry as she chuckled, "I admit I initially had my doubts too. But when I really thought about it, I realized I just had to have faith in you. You've always had faith in me, and it has never wavered, never. How could I not do the same? Yes, Ron, I came to believe in you. I had doubt and fear. I was more scared to death than I had ever been in my life, but somehow, someway, even though everything else screamed at me that it wasn't possible, I knew somehow you would come back to me, and you did."

"Even when I took on Shego?"

Solemnly, with all the respect she could muster, she said, "Especially then, Ron."

She meant it. He looked into her eyes, his face showing how touched he was by that faith.

"Thank you, Kim." he whispered, tears forming in his eyes now, "Thank you, so much. You know how much that means to me."

She smiled again and said, "You deserve it, more than you know."

He sniffled, trying to clear his throat, and smiled back at her before he spoke again.

"So, nobody's hurt real bad?"

"Well, we'll see how you are when we get back. I'm okay."

"You don't look so okay.", he said with a worried look.

She grinned wider to reassure him, "I'm a little banged up, but it's no big, Ron. Really, I'm fine. So's Jos, and Wade, and even Shego, despite getting beat. Mom's telling me she thinks she can fix her underlying problem, whatever that is. But I'm not sure if she means her being evil or what."

"Yeah, I get you.", he said with a small snort, "Fix Shego's being evil? Huh, that'll be a trick."

"Hey!", she said, rebuffing him gently, "She's a Possible, you know!"

They softly laughed.

"Oh yeah." he replied, "Well, if anyone can fix Shego, it would be your mother."

"Yeah, and you're a Possible, too. You've certainly earned it by now."

"Heh-heh.", he said chuckling, "Thanks, Kim. I'm proud to wear the title."

He became serious again.

"But you know, Kim. It's the one name I'll always count more precious... ...more than my own."

Kim's face changed, her smile turning bittersweet as she softly whispered, "Oh, Ron..."

Her casual manner was gone now, and there were tears filling her eyes again, her hand caressing his face so gently. He could tell she had been crying a lot lately, and there was that look he couldn't quite recognize from just before they were rescued from the earthquake in Los Angeles. For some reason even his Monkey Power didn't help him with that this time. Ironically, he wondered what it was about being buried underground and these moments of revelation between Kim and himself. 'That's just got to be too weird.', he thought. He saw her gaze at him with those brilliant green eyes of hers, barely holding the tears back, not speaking, just caressing his face with slow soft strokes.

He asked, "What is it, Kim?"

She coughed with a slight hesitation, saying, "Well, your Kimmunicator was broken. We couldn't recover any data from it."

He frowned, confused.

"Why would we need that?", he asked, then dismissively added, "But, uh, that's okay. Nothing really useful on it, anyway."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I didn't even have time to, to do anything with it."

"You're sure about that?"

"Yeah, Kim.", he said, grinning nonchalantly, "It's no big."

"Okay.", she replied, waiting a few moments before she spoke again.

"There was one thing though. Wade picked up a signal from one of the security cameras Drakken had set up down there."

"Oh?" he said, his face becoming concerned.

His voice still cracking, he asked, "Find something important?"

"I think so.", she replied softly, "You see, it recorded your last moments before you passed out. You were saying something into your Kimmunicator."

He gazed at her steadily, his face flushing red with embarrassment, "Uh. Oh, I see. So you heard... ...what I said."

His face became agitated and he startled to ramble, "I'm so sorry, Kim! I'm so sorry! I couldn't tell you. I couldn't let you be hurt like that if I had died... ...I couldn't!... ...I..."

He stopped abruptly as Kim put her fingers to his lips, softly shushing him quiet. He wanted to tell her himself he loved her, now that he survived. He was waiting for the right moment, but this...

Kim looked deep into Ron's eyes, gently shaking her head. Her hair hung down, framing his face in a corona of red tresses. Then she lowered her head and gently kissed him for a long time, simply drinking in the touch of his lips on hers, a kiss so fulfilling, so revealing to them both that she couldn't hold the tears back any more, and they fell in droves onto his cheeks from hers, mixing with those he shed. Very slowly and tenderly, even as her lips ached not to be separated from his, she raised back up and spoke to him.

"I know you love me, Ron.", she said, her voice breaking with emotion, "I heard you. And I understand why you didn't tell me. But before you left me back there in the temple, I had something to tell you too. So I need to say this now before anything else happens.

"I... ... _so._.. ...love you, Ronald Stoppable. I do so love you. I love you more than anyone or anything in this world. You are my best friend. We are a team, and we are going to stay that way. And there isn't anything or anybody that will ever come between us, or my name isn't Kimberly Ann Possible!"

She lowered her head to his again and kissed him with every fiber of her soul, pouring her love and essence into that kiss, to prove to him how much she meant every word. The world stood still in that moment for them both as he returned it back to her just as fully, freely and passionately, pulling her closer with his good arm.

Then, unexpectedly, she suddenly pulled back up again, looking at him with the same love in her eyes, but also with a slight tension to her mouth. Reading her face, he thought it remarkable how she could be mad and relieved at the same time.

"But there's one other thing, lover boy.", she said a little sternly.

"Yes, Kim?", he replied hesitantly.

In a harsh whisper, she said, "Don't you ever pull a stunt like this on me again! So help me, I'll kill you myself!"

And then she kissed him again even more intensely than before.

He felt like he would smother from that kiss, and thinking how he wouldn't mind it one bit when once more, before he realized it, she pulled up and whispered harshly again, "That's an order! You hear me?"

Ron became perplexed and wide-eyed, answering obediently in a low voice, "Ma'am! Yes, Ma'am!"

"I mean it!", she almost shouted.

"Yes, Kim! Yes!"

All her anger disappeared, and her face expressed only the intense fear she felt.

"...I mean it...", she whispered very softly, almost breaking down, two tears running down her cheeks again.

"I swear... ...I promise...", he said just as softly.

Kim gazed intensely at him, finally sighing in relief.

"...Good...", she whispered with finality, without rebuke of any kind, the tension lessening in her body with his assent.

But her face still echoed the pain of her fright, still showing the effect of what she went through over the past two days because of what he had to do to save her. He looked at her, awed, knowing that this was the strongest woman he would ever know in his life, a woman capable like no other, who would surpass his expectations for achievement in ways he could not comprehend even now. She was truly capable of everything, able to do anything, except for one thing... ...being apart from him. He reached up and touched her face with his hand, smoothing out her features softly, gently caressing out the tense muscles and the frown into a softer smile and a happier look.

Then he looked at her with a smile that echoed all the love in his heart. His hand reached up and caressed her cheek.

"I love you, Kimberly Ann Possible.", he whispered slowly to her, "and I promise you I will never, ever, leave you again."

Only then did her eyes fully reflect the great relief of that promise as she returned his smile, her body relaxing and releasing all its tension, and she gently touched his face again before giving him another soft slow kiss. Then she put her head back on his chest and settled down contentedly. He lay there unmoving for a long time, staring up at the fuselage ceiling, deep in thought, losing track of time as he relished every word they had just spoken to each other. Before he knew it, he looked down and found Kim was fast asleep in his arms.

He smiled as he watched her, slowly shaking his head gently and chuckling as he whispered, "Women."

Kim's father waited in the hatchway to the cockpit, his eyes glistening as he watched his daughter and her one great love. He nodded with a smile and a soft laugh as he quietly said to himself, "Oh yeah."


	21. Chapter 21

**Intralogue**

The reporter could hardly keep the tears out of her eyes.

"Oh, that's just so beautiful!", she said.

"Yes, it is.", Kim whispered, mostly to herself. Her eyes were closed, trying to keep from crying every time she relived those two days in her mind. Even now she was still a little uncomfortable remembering them despite the fact it was one of the greatest things that ever happened to Kim and Ron. It really was the most awesome moment of her life. It gave her such a sense of peace, of purpose, and of love, even now when she just wasn't feeling good. Another spasm came on and she groaned.

Misinterpreting her moaning, her mother looked up from her reading, "Now, Kimmie, you know that's a beautiful story."

"Yeah, mom, I know. I'm just not in the mood right now."

"Those ribs still bothering you between the... ...spasms?"

"Uh-huh", she said, as another one hit her. Her ribs would always be a little sore now from those old injuries. They waited until it passed.

"Well,", said her mother, smirking and changing the subject, "at least Ron never pulled that 'stunt' again."

"Yeah, he knew what I'd do to him!", she muttered, laughing to herself. Ron was a smarter guy now. He knew better.

The reporter cued on that, "So things were really going well between you two after that?"

She grinned at the thought, "Oh yeah. I was such a bonehead. Didn't see what I had, until I almost lost it. Ron always said that. 'You don't know what you have until you lose it'."

"You had mentioned that was going to be the last mission you would ever do as 'Kim Possible, World Saving Teen-age Hero'."

"Yes.", Kim said quietly, smiling widely, "It still took me a while, but I finally understood. I couldn't understand how I could do both, you see. Save the world, and be a wife and partner to Ron, and keep him safe as well."

"Because you couldn't do your job if he couldn't, you know, 'step up to the plate'?.

Kim smiled briefly, "I couldn't worry both about him and the mission. That would be a recipe for tragedy, eventually."

"But clearly he proved you wrong. Didn't he? He proved himself in combat, of being able to make the hard decisions, and more importantly succeeding when he had to."

Kim bit down on her lower lip, replying, "But not in my mind."

"So you made the decision to retire. Just go back a normal life with your boyfriend."

"Well...", Kim said musingly, "That was the thought then... ...but obviously it all worked out. "

The reporter grinned, changing subject, "On another note, I understand the senior prom was somewhat anti-climactic."

"As far as the dance was concerned?", Kim exclaimed, "Phew! I didn't mind! True, I had a leg cast on, and Ron was in a wheelchair temporarily, but I completed all the work and the decorations with help. Everyone there had a good time, and Ron was still able to ask me to dance. Even Bonnie Rockwaller had a good time. At least until she just started gloating how Ron and I wouldn't be able to dance.", she grumbled.

"Well, obviously that wasn't the case."

Kim chuckled, "Yeah, but we did look pretty funny whirling around in that wheelchair. It was cool though."

"But that was the most dangerous mission you ever experienced.", the reported said seriously then, "You and Mr. Stoppable came through that so successfully. It's a great story. It's the perfect ending."

"Not quite."

"Oh? What happened after that?"

Kim looked at her smiling, her eyes glistening, remembering.

She replied softly, "Even more miracles..."


	22. Chapter 22

As soon as the plane got back to Middleton, Dr. Possible whisked Ron away to the infirmary and treated his wounds. She set his arm in a permanent cast and x-rayed his ribs, finding two of them broken on the right side. The long laceration on his stomach had to be cleaned out and sutured with a good twenty stitches. She gave him a good dose of morphine which helped him go to sleep through it all. During this time she maintained the IV fluids at a high rate to keep his hydration up. Other bleeding gashes were not as severe and needed only a few stitches and basic dressing changes. Then she looked for what she dreaded, more serious internal injuries or bleeding. Fortunately, the CT Scans and MRI's showed there were none. She ordered some intravenous antibiotics, then sent him to recuperate in one of the infirmary rooms. Kim waited impatiently outside the surgical suite, pacing around on her crutches ready to pounce like a tiger until her mother was finished with him, then literally descended on her as soon as she exited the operating room with Ron being wheeled out. Dr. Possible reassured her daughter that everything was fine, and that they both needed rest. Kim refused, insisting on going with Ron to the infirmary room that had been prepared for him. Once Ron was settled in, she sat down next to him holding on to his hands, the worried look on her face bad enough to threaten putting premature wrinkles around her eyes. Dr. Possible had to go in and shoo Kim away, repeatedly reassuring her Ron would be all right. Finally, reluctantly, Kim let herself be taken to her own room, where her mother made sure she took a sleeping pill and watched her go to sleep before she left.

The next morning, Dr. Possible went to see how Ron was doing. It was reported by the nurses that he was still a little doped up from pain meds, but that he had slept well through most of the night, drifting in and out of consciousness. He still required rest, but she knew he also needed to wake up today and start ambulating. She walked to the infirmary, down towards his room, looking across the hallway to the other side to briefly check on Shego. The woman was still unconscious after the major cranial surgery she had to perform, her head completely bandaged. 'She should have awakened by now.', Dr. Possible thought, and this worried her. The prognosis would be worse the longer it took her to wake up. However, all they could do now was wait.

Turning back towards Ron's room, she came around the corner and saw him through the doorway. She stopped, mildly surprised to see Kim already awake and out of her own room, sitting close beside him on a chair with his hand in both of hers. She must have gotten up early. Dr. Possible realized this would be the first thing she would have done. Kim had propped her crutches next to the headboard and was looking at Ron intently. She didn't immediately see her mother and Dr. Possible waited a moment, watching her as she raised Ron's hand in hers up to her lips and lightly kissed it. Then she rested her elbows on her knees, holding his hand next to her cheek as he softly mumbled something unintelligible. She continued to gaze intently at him, her face so serene with joy that Dr. Possible couldn't keep her own eyes from tearing up.

But she had work to do. She quickly dried her cheeks and knocked lightly on the door jamb . Kim looked up, smiling as she placed Ron's hand down in her lap, still holding it securely.

"How's he doing?", Dr. Possible whispered softly.

"I think he's doing okay, Mom."

"Good." , she said, "But I think it's time to wake him up now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, he's slept long enough. I need to see how he's feeling."

Kim turned back to Ron and softly nudged him awake, calling his name. He roused gently over several moments and looked around, seeing Kim first. Their eyes instantly locked onto each other and they immediately smiled, their faces shining.

"How are things going, Ron?", asked Dr. Possible.

Ron kept gazing at Kim with that big smile, but then realized her mother had spoken to him.

"Whuh?... ..Oh, yeah!", he said groggily, "Doing... ...doing just great, Dr. P. Glad to be home."

"Good. Now you'll be able to move around out of bed today. I want you to do that. You may have to use a wheelchair or crutches for a while, and that's fine if you need to. But it won't be too long before you're up and about like before."

A little more awake, he slowly scooted up in bed and sat as erect as he could, wetting his still cracked lips.

"Okay. You're the doc, Dr. P.", he said, "Will do."

Kim looked at him with humorous disapproval and said, "Ron. Please?"

"Huh?", he said, confused, but then realized what he said, "Oh, yeah. Sorry about that, K.P."

She chuckled and replied, "No big."

Dr. Possible nodded approvingly, "I think we can do without the big pain medications now, and just use the minor stuff. But be careful and don't push yourself too hard. You're not going to get over this in just a couple of days."

Kim looked appreciatively at her mother, "Thanks, Mom. You're just too cool for words."

Dr. Possible smiled at her and said, "You're welcome, dear. It is, uh, 'spanking', isn't it?"

Kim laughed, not even minding her trying to be 'cool'.

Ron was looking over his new surroundings and peered across the hall. He saw he was in the room directly opposite Shego's, and he could see her in bed, still unconscious.

He asked, "Uh. Dr. P.? What's up with Shego?"

Thoughtfully, Dr. Possible glanced across the way to where her daughter's arch-foe was resting, arms crossed with one hand on her chin, the index finger tapping it.

"Well, you know I first suspected this when Kim showed me that video of her 'spell' on the Kimmunicator, but it wasn't enough evidence for me to make a complete diagnosis. Then Wade called and told me about his preliminary scan, which told me a little more. But when I saw her actually seize here in the infirmary, that's when I really started to suspect what it was. So I did some tests to confirm it."

"Really? What was going on?"

"See for yourself."

She took out some x-rays from a large folder she was carrying, "MRI scans to be specific", she added, and showed them to the kids.

"She had a tumor in her left forebrain."

The kids blinked in surprise at her.

"A tumor?", asked Kim, "You mean she had brain cancer?"

"Yes, dear, but she was fortunate in that it was a benign cancer. It was also in a position to be easily removed, so it could be cured just by surgery."

Ron looked mesmerized, "Wow! You mean, that was what was causing all of her problems we saw recently, like her seizures?"

"Oh yes, and if I'm right, it was causing even more problems, like her personality changes."

Kim piped in again, "Personality changes, Mom? What do you mean? Like Shego acting insane, or... ...or do you mean her evil nature?"

"Uhh, yes and no.", Dr. Possible said cautiously, pursing her lips in thought, "Certainly, the changes in her recent behavior you described to me were very likely due to it. However, the personality changes being caused by it are questions to which the answers aren't quite so cut and dried. The left forebrain is well known as the center for impulse control. And since she has the ability of those green powered plasma blasts, her control for that was apparently located there also. I'm pretty sure of that because when the tumor interfered with her loss of impulse control, her power blasts became incredibly more powerful, much wilder, and more unmanageable. In fact, that last blast in the hangar that you told me about probably drained her completely and I think it almost killed her. But right now, I'm more concerned about her personality changes. If I'm not mistaken, she had always seemed to be in a constantly angry or upset mood."

"Hey! That's right!", exclaimed Ron, "So this will make Shego not evil?"

Dr. Possible smiled at him, "I can't promise you that. But with that tumor gone, I'm quite sure her impulse control will be a lot better, and it might change her disposition on things in general. Only time will tell."

"How long had that tumor been there, Mom?", Kim asked.

"Hard to say, Kim, but it was a slow growing tumor.", her mother said, headed now for the door, " I believe she actually had it for several years. Now, you be sure and get out of bed, Ron. Okay?"

"Gotcha, Mrs. Dr. P.", he replied.

Dr. Possible went across the hall to check on Shego. The two teens looked at each other, wide-eyed.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?", said Kim.

He answered, "You mean when we were in Go City, and Hego said how they were always battling evil and the more Shego fought it, the more she liked it, until she finally turned bad and joined Drakken?"

"Right! Do you suppose this tumor was the cause of that change? Could taking it out change Shego back into a hero?"

"Whoa! KP! That's an awesome thought!

They smiled gleefully at each other.

"You know.", added Ron, "If this is true, Drakken is going to have a serious problem."

"Buya!", said Kim gleefully.

* * *

Due to her medical condition, Shego had to be kept in the infirmary, but maximum security was maintained on her at all times. Guards were posted everywhere around her room. Kim was worried about them being able to stop her if, or when, she woke up. Then she thought 'Well, if at all, really.' However, Dr. Possible assured her that her powers probably wouldn't come back immediately, as she still had to heal from the surgery itself. There was even a chance they wouldn't come back at all. Kim was reluctant to believe that, but trusted her mother's judgment. That was confirmed when Shego woke up the day after Dr. Possible had told the kids about her tumor, and didn't try anything in terms of trying to escape. Kim and Ron were notified soon after that she was awake, and they paid her a visit within the hour. Shego glanced glumly around the room as Ron limped in, pushing Kim in a wheelchair. She glared at the two teenagers staring icily back at her, not saying anything at first. Then she looked away, disgust in her voice as she finally spoke.

"Come to gloat?", she said with an acid tongue, "Please! I get enough of that from Drakken."

Kim didn't come to argue, and so didn't take the bait. She just asked, "How're you feeling?"

"I'm okay. I'll be fine.", she replied sullenly, then looked at Kim straight on and said with more emotion, "You can't keep me here you know. There isn't a jail that can hold me."

"So you can't power up yet?"

Shego stared at her angrily, disgusted they knew that she had tried it already.

"Don't think they won't come back!", she said threateningly, "I've been knocked out before and lost them temporarily! But they always come back!"

"Maybe.", replied Kim, returning her stare and not backing down an inch, "But I'm not worried about that right now."

Shego took a deep breath, seeming troubled and looking pensive. She gazed down at Kim's broken leg and then looked over Ron's injuries as well.

"Looks like I got in my licks at least,", she said with a smirk, but she lost it as she continued, "I don't remember doing it, though..."

"You didn't, actually", Kim replied in monotone irritation, "At least not directly. We do have a tendency of destroying whatever building we happen to be in when we're fighting."

Shego frowned at her.

"Yeah, got that right.", she murmured sullenly.

She paused, then added, "Okay, I've got to ask! How did I get here? The last thing I remember was seeing you two when you walked into that stupid Monkey Temple... ...Shrine... ...uh... ..oh, I don't know what it was!"

Kim softly gasped. Shego didn't remember. Well, her mother had warned her that her memories might have been affected by her seizures and the aftereffects caused by taking the tumor out.

She went on, "Did I hear right? The buffoon here saved me? This has got to be, what? How many times have you saved me? The second time, or third?"

"Uh, actually fourth or fifth time, I think.", interjected Ron.

"Whatever!", she retorted, "You saved me again! Are you that whack, or are you just dumber than you look?... ...What am I saying? Of course, you've always been dumber than you look."

Ron's eyes rose up into the back of his head as he sighed, and Kim felt a momentary burst of anger at the put down of her BF, but she still didn't rise to it.

"So, how does that make you feel?", she calmly asked again.

Shego started to growl, irritated, "How do you think it makes me feel?"

She hesitated, blinking at an unexpected thought.

"Actually, I feel pretty good."

"Not angry?"

"No, I'm not angry," she said, pensively, "Hmmmmm..."

Seeing her confusion, Kim smiled smugly as she said, "I'll bet if you think about it, it's been a very long time since you haven't been angry. In fact, you probably can't even remember the last time you weren't mad at something or somebody."

Shego snorted derisively, "Of course I can remember! I can remember... ...wait a minute. Yeah there was that time... ...no..."

A blank look came over her face.

"Okay, maybe, Oh yeah! It was right about the time I started high school, when I and my brothers started Team Go. That was, uh..."

Suddenly a blank look came over her, the realization coming that Kim was right.

"...huh... ...years ago...", she said, her voice trailing off at the end.

The door opened and Dr. Possible came in to check up on her.

"And how is my star patient doing today?"

"I'm great, mom."

"A-O-K, Dr. P."

"I'm fine, uh... ...doctor.", replied Shego, not recognizing Kim's mother at first.

Dr. Possible just smiled in amusement. Shego studied her for a moment.

"You're Kimmie's mom, right? Riiiight! I remember you now... ...Uh, wait. So you operated on my head, right? That's why I have these bandages?"

"Yes, Shego. You had a brain tumor that was causing your seizures and some other problems."

"A tumor?", Shego said in a small voice, "Seizures? You mean my fits?"

"That's right."

"Geez...", she muttered in a pensive voice, "I... ...I thought Drakken's laser blasts had caused them."

Dr. Possible explained, "No, it wasn't. Shego. You had a tumor specifically called a meningioma. It's a slow growing benign mass..."

"Be-what?..."

"Benign, Shego. It means the tumor does not spread. Thus I was able to get all of it out surgically, meaning you're cured. Now, you probably have had it for several years. You are very young to get this kind of tumor. We usually don't see it in people until they're older than fifty, but Kim has told me about that comet that gave you your powers, and I wonder if the radiation to which you were exposed was the cause.

"Your seizures, or fits as you call them, were mainly because of that tumor. I saw at the time of surgery that it had reached a sufficiently large enough size to have certainly increased the likelihood of causing your seizures for some time. Jos told me about the laser strike you took when she was fighting you, and I think that laser strike triggered the seizures to start, but only that. Once you had one seizure though, you were a setup to experience more of them later, and they would have come more and more frequently and gotten worse with time after that. Without treatment, your ability to function would have gradually deteriorated with it, and that is dangerous, because eventually you could have had a seizure that actually would have killed you. You knew you were having seizures all along, Shego. Why didn't you get help?"

Shego looked shaken at first, as she realized the implications, then sullenly answered, "Well... ...in my end of the business, you know, it doesn't pay to look weak. Especially when you work for someone like Dr. Drakken."

Ron leaned over to Kim and whispered, "Majorly in denial."

Kim nodded in total agreement.

"I see.", said Dr. Possible dryly as she handed Shego a mirror, "Well, the scars won't even show once your hair grows back out.

"You cut off my hair?", Shego cried, shocked when she looked in the mirror.

"Well, I'm sorry.", Dr. Possible replied apologetically, "We had to, in order to do the surgery."

Shego stared wide-eyed at her, then slumped back down into the bed, hanging her head morosely as she dropped the mirror next to her.

"Will this nightmare never end?", she moaned.

"It will grow back, Shego.", said Dr. Possible, "As beautiful as before."

"Hey! It's a great head of hair!", added Ron, "Always admired her hair. Shame you had to cut it off."

Shego looked up sharply at him, frowning hard, as did Kim.

"Ron!", said Kim, irritated, "Rubbing it in much?"

He stared at her, confused.

"What? What'd I say?", he asked, but Kim just growled at him.

"Oh, you're a barrel of laughs, sidekick!", Shego muttered.

Dr. Possible ignored this and addressed her again, "Look, Shego. As I said, your hair will grow back perfectly well. But that tumor had to come out. It might have eventually killed you."

Still slumped down in her bed, Shego looked completely depressed as she groaned and muttered, "Oy! How many Possibles am I going to owe my life to? I'll never, ever live this down!"

"So why are you so angry?", asked Kim once again.

Shego suddenly sat back up, yelling back, "I'm not...", and abruptly stopped.

Calming down, she added, "Look. I'm not angry... ...actually. Annoyed, maybe, but not really angry."

"So you don't feel like beating the stuffing out of me, or something?"

Like a light turning on in her mind, Shego's expression changed, realizing that what Kim said was true. Right now, her feelings were a jumbled mess, but not dominated by anger. In fact she had no anger at all for anything. She realized at that moment that she truly had felt constantly angry for a very long time, and she didn't know how to understand that, or why she even did it in the first place. She could barely remember the last few weeks as it was, and nothing for the last week or two, and that worried her a lot, though she seemed to be recovering more memory with every passing minute.

"I... ...don't remember much.", she said

"Give it time, Shego.", said Dr. Possible, "The memories will return."

"Okay.", she said tentatively, "So where's Drakken? You had to have caught him with me, right? In Africa?

Kim looked at her arch-enemy, trying to keep her wits about her and speak carefully. She remained as calm as she could. This was still the most dangerous foe she had ever fought, and was still a serious danger to them as far as they knew, even without her power blasts. And there was yet this powerful rage within her for what she did to Ron, making her still want to get up out of that wheelchair and beat her to a pulp on the spot. But she kept in mind what her mother had said. Shego had been ill. Her tumor might have some bearing on her recent behavior. It might not be all her fault. She took a slow breath, and carefully worded her response.

"Shego, that was almost a week ago.", she said softly, "You haven't been yourself lately. A lot has happened since Africa. You don't remember any of it yet, I guess."

Shego stared incredulously at her.

"A... ...a week?", she said timidly, "What are you talking about?"

"Well, you have been unconscious for most of that week, so it's not all that bad.", Kim added.

Shego gawked at her like a loon in sheer disbelief. Then she looked at Dr. Possible, who nodded in confirmation of what Kim had said.

"I'll come back and talk to you some more about that, Shego.", she added.

Kim watched her closely, seeing various emotions pass across her arch-foe's face. She was no longer looking at them, just sitting there, her eyes darting back and forth as quickly as thoughts seemed to intrude unwanted into her mind. She inhaled sharply, her eyes going wide, and a new look appeared on her face that Kim had never seen before. One that looked like fear, fear and regret. Kim stared at her, amazed at the changes. That look on Shego's face was enough to tell Kim that she had suddenly recalled something that troubled her tremendously. Kim hoped she was remembering some of her recent past in a completely new light. Whatever it was, she could see Shego had suddenly become appalled and speechless.

Dr. Possible looked at the kids and said, "I think we better leave her to consider what's been happening. I'll come back when she's ready to discuss it."

"Yeah, I think you're right.", said Kim, and they left Shego to her thoughts and memories.

* * *

Over time, Ron and Kim recovered from their injuries, soon getting their lives back to normal, or at least normal for them. They put further missions on hold over the next three months until they healed up, and asked GJ to cover in the meantime, which they were happy to do. The only exception to this would be if a major super villain popped up again, in which case they would address the problem, but fortunately it didn't happen, which gave Kim even more time on making her own plans. They graduated from Middleton High and started summer classes at Middleton College. By the end of summer, her leg had healed and she tried out for the cheerleading squad. To nobody's surprise she made it, and given her reputation and abilities, she was quickly elected captain of the team despite being a freshman. Even Ron got into the picture as the Mad Dog, and since Middleton High had adopted Middleton College's mascot, he didn't even to have to change his act. On the home front Jos kept the Possible tradition going as she successfully was elected by the squad to inherit Kim's position as head cheerleader at Middleton High.

But the best thing that had happened was that Ron and Kim had connected on a level they never had experienced before, closer to each other than they had ever been. They shared every waking moment together now. They studied together, their arms or bodies often intertwined with faces glued to books or laptop screens, and a day wouldn't go by without him embracing her with a good long kiss and the two of them exchanging 'I love you's'. They realized all too well now how easily it could be taken away.

Completely healed by the end of August, Team Possible went back into action and saved the world one more time from a group of terrorists trying to blow up a pipeline in the Middle East. Jos was instrumental in that mission, very coolly all on her own taking out a secondary team of the fanatics trying to blow up an oil refinery, as Kim and Ron neutralized the main force. Kim never let on, but she was worried about going back out into the field. To her relief, she had no problems with doing the job, but there was a subtle change which Ron noticed, which was she was more aggressive about taking on the risks of the mission and not letting him get into any danger, or as little as possible. This alarmed him at first, as he thought she was still lacking her confidence in her leadership, but he soon saw she really was back to the top of her game, fully competent, fully confident in her abilities. She was just being... ...a little overprotective, he thought. 'Well, I'll work that out later with her, then.'

They also checked in with Global Justice to see how things went over the summer and got caught up on several threats that were deterred. Interestingly, there was nothing on Drakken at all from any source, including Wade. He was obviously lying low, and Kim was betting he couldn't do much without Shego to help him.

Back home, Ron monitored business at Bueno Nacho headquarters in Middleton. After the main headquarters building a hundred miles to the West was trashed from the fight they had there with Shego and Drakken the year before, Ron had the headquarters moved to the Team Possible home base. That way he could conduct business from there if he needed, and be near Kim as well, especially since she now had to spend a good deal of time there as the team's chief operative. Because of the amount of work they had to do in the initial build up of the organization, they were there virtually every day that summer anyway.

Ron had noticed that oftentimes, while Kim was working on Team Possible business at the base, she would go in to talk to Shego. Mrs. Dr. P had confirmed that the villainess had not yet recovered large blocks of her recent memory, and the loss stretched back as far as a few years, although the further back she went, it wasn't quite as bad. Talking about them with Dr. P helped stimulate those memories and bring them back. Kim had been actively engaged in assisting her mother with that, and that was the main purpose of her visits. Ron thought it ironic that Kim would help out her worst arch-foe ever, but he knew that it really was Kim's nature to do that, even for Shego. Initially though, it was something not even Kim wanted to do, because she still had such deep emotional distress concerning Shego. But with time she started to look forward to her visits with her old enemy. Shego's hair had pretty much grown back out by the end of August. Whatever was in that comet that hit her and her brothers somehow affected her like that, making her hair grow out incredibly fast and thick. Kim would never let Ron or Shego know it, but she actually really was in awe of that hair. Of course she loved her own hair and had no problems with it, usually. But Shego's hair was, like, in a whole different league.

'It had to be that comet that did it', she thought. She was musing about that as she came in to talk to her for about the umpteenth time or so. She had lost count, visiting her almost every day now. Shego was still recuperating at the base at Dr. Possible's insistence, and she remained in a maximum security setting, although once her powers did return two weeks after her surgery, it was really a moot point. Shego could have escaped pretty much any time she cared to go. But Kim's mother wanted to continue her care as Shego's doctor as it also gave her an opportunity to study her plasma energy powers, which was something that intrigued Shego as well. So in the end, it became convenient to keep things as they were. Sure, she could have left any time she wanted to, but it also was obvious she didn't want to.

The two arch-foes had a lot of long talks that summer, mostly to help Shego recall her memories, sometimes about other things. They often took walks around the premises. It was hard at first. There was still a lot of animosity because of their history. Some of those early talks deteriorated into insults and screaming matches, Kim often stomping out afterward ready to take out her frustration on the next villain that dared take her on. But eventually they agreed to a temporary truce. Most of their conversation after that at first was small talk and didn't seem that helpful. But eventually, it did begin to produce results. Kim kept at it in hopes of her arch-foe getting better and possibly changing her ways away from evil. She was hoping for this as Shego did make it clear she did not want to return to the life she had led with Drakken. For her part, Shego apparently was happy to have someone to talk to, even if it was Kim, though one of the major stumbling blocks Kim had in her efforts was that Shego was still very resistant to opening up about her personal life. She always had been.

But there was no question in Kim's mind that somehow the return of her impulse control over her anger had activated some other brain pathways, so her mother explained, and Kim thought she now seemed to better understand the evil she had done. It was subtle, just occasional remarks that clued her in, but Kim could see she had begun to care about other things again, even people, so she was sure Shego wouldn't go back to her old life style in crime. Kim hoped her natural tendency would be to go back to her family, but exasperatingly, Shego also refused to return home to her brothers. All she really had to go back to were Drakken and Team Go. Other than that she had nowhere and no one else to turn to. True, Shego was well enough off herself to go anywhere in the world she wanted. She certainly didn't lack for finances. But she still didn't try to escape, and it made Kim wonder if she stayed for more reasons than just the ones Kim initially thought she knew. She encouraged this by making things easier for Shego, providing her with just about anything she requested, such as her usual wardrobe choices, magazines, TV, cable, good meals, and music among several other amenities... ...and of course a sun lamp.

Now, at the end of August Kim wondered again why she was still here, though at this point it probably wouldn't matter that much, especially with what Kim was about to offer her. This had her mind totally occupied as she went through the security doors into the detainment section and walked into her arch-foe's 'quarters'...

"Hi, Shego.", she said as she entered through the door, "How's it going?"

Shego, comfortably laid out on her bed, looked up at her from the fashion magazine she had been reading, considering Kim drollfully before lowering her eyes back down to her reading again.

"Just peachy. Another fun filled day at the 'Penal Hilton'.", she answered with a bored sigh, "How about you, Kimmie? How's saving the world treating you?"

Kim shook her head mildly at Shego's bored response. 'Well', she thought, 'There isn't exactly a lot for a prisoner to do when she was a prisoner, is there?'

Kim quipped, "You should know. You used to do that."

"Wasn't the world, you know, just Go City.", Shego answered in a tired voice, "I could never get that lunkhead brother of mine to go bigger than that. He didn't like doing long trips to go fight bad guys, you know. He always thought he couldn't have a long distance relationship with them that way... ...whatever that means."

"Oh? You tried to get Team Go to expand internationally? I didn't know that."

"Meh.", Shego replied listlessly, "Yeah, I did, but that was a lifetime ago, and a useless argument. Never could get Hego to do anything helpful."

"So, why don't you go back to try and convince him differently this time? He might be more inclined to listen now."

She snorted, looking up from the magazine, "Oy! Not again! Look, what part of 'No way' do you not understand? Don't you remember the time you worked with them? At least I do! You can't do anything with them!"

Kim said gravely, trying to be as serious as she could, and not for the first time, "Shego, they are still your brothers."

Aggravated, Shego got up from the bed and walked around, facing Kim, looking conflicted.

"I know! I know!", she replied, "But I just can't do it, okay? Not with them! And especially not after all that's happened. Not after all the, you know... ...all the evil I've done."

"But I know they'll forgive you, after they know all the facts."

"Puh-lease! Absolutely no way! It's... ...it's just too late.", she said, her voice trailing off at the end as she buried her face back in the magazine still in her hands. Before, when this subject came up, she had always insisted this was the reason, but Kim was pretty sure her main problem really was with Hego himself.

Then, Kim said something she never thought she could ever say to Shego. In fact she couldn't tell her before this because she had only made the decision to say it a short while before coming to see her this time. It was only after she made this decision that she spoke to Ron and her parents about what she wanted to do about it. They were shocked at first, but in time agreed with her plan.

Kim said, "Way, Shego. If I can forgive you, I think they will, too."

Shego gawked at her in surprise, looking like she had just been decked by one of Kim's right crosses, numbly dropping the magazine on the bed. Normally Kim would have expected some caustic remark, one of Shego's usual insults whenever someone's feelings were involved. Kim certainly knew she was laying herself wide open for the comeback...

Instead, Shego was clearly in shock, troubled by her words.

"You forgive me?", she said breathlessly, "After all I've done to you? I thought you hated me, and still do."

"No, not now. Though yeah, I hated you... ...Oh...", Kim replied emotionally as the memory of their last fight filled her mind, stirring up some hard feelings of her own suddenly.

"You don't know how much I hated you.", she said softly with some difficulty, looking off to one side.

"Yeah... ... though I've got a pretty good idea.", Shego said after a pause, biting her lip and rubbing her jaw.

Kim took a deep breath, releasing the tension, then looked back at her and repeated, "Yeah, I hated you for a long time. But I know now that's the old you. The you that isn't the real you. I mean, yeah, you can be kind of sarcastic and irritating..."

Shego relaxed a little with that, "Gee, thanks a lot."

Kim smirked and kept going, "But I realized, that was just wrong. And I think I've gotten to know the real you a lot better, now. Some people are naturally evil, Shego. But you're not one of them."

"How do you know? I haven't changed that much.", Shego said dismissively, looking off to one side.

"Oh, yes you have!" Kim said chuckling, "It's as plain as your fashion sense."

Shego's face fell.

"Please! Let's not get into that again.", she said with a groan, knowing Kim was dissing her 'style' again, even if it was playful.

When Shego had asked for her usual wardrobe some time back, Kim gasped, saying "You still want to wear that stuff?". But Shego was insistent, and Kim gave in and provided her with her usual green and black tights, among other clothes in the same color scheme, even though she continued to needle her about it. Of course, Shego was just as unimpressed with Kim's style in return.

"I'm serious!", Kim went on, "I think Mom was right! That tumor is what caused you to go over the edge. It made you angry all the time. It made you lose control and do the whole evildoer thing. Ever since she took that tumor out, I've seen a truly wicked change come over you."

"Wicked as in better, right?"

"Right."

"Yeah... ...Just making sure."

Shego looked pensive and then let out a huge sigh. Her face screwed up into frustration.

"Okay! Okay! I admit it. I can see, and feel the difference now. And I'm not angry at you anymore. Actually, I can't even remember what I was angry about most of the time."

"So, you'll think about becoming a super-hero again?"

She looked appalled, "After all those years of building up my evil image? My website would have to be trashed! Not that it matters. My evil career is soooooo in the toilet!... ...Wait, I've said that somewhere before, haven't I?"

Kim looked at her smugly, "Better than the alternative, don't you think?"

She groaned again, "All that work! For nothing!"

"Hey, look on the bright side. You can build up a new web site, the one for Team Go."

"Are you kidding?", she replied in a louder voice, "I am not going back! Not even for a website! I wouldn't be able to ever get Hego to buy the software, much less the hardware! Geez! He's so cheap!...

"Oooooh!", she growled, looking really angry but at least not insanely so this time, "When I think about how he has handled the whole thing, I could just get _sooooooo._.."

"Cranked?"

"Oh yeah!"

"Well in this case, I don't blame you one bit."

"Glad to hear it!"

Subtly, Kim's demeanor changed. Her expression looked hopeful...

"Look, Shego, I have some ideas that might help the sitch with your family. You know your brother has been handling the Bueno Nacho franchise in the middle of Go City. Now, he's not too bad as a lower level store operations manager, but I've learned that he's probably not going to go much higher than that. He has a certain, shall we say, lack of higher management skills."

"Tell me about it.", Shego confirmed in monotone sarcasm.

"Don't get me wrong.", Kim continued, "From the short time we worked together, I think your brother's a nice guy and all, but he wasn't cut out to be a higher management type of executive."

"Exactly!"

"Okay, that got me to thinking. Team Possible has been considering opening a branch division in Go City. So we've been looking around for a choice location."

The older woman shot her a quizzical glance, "Yesss..."

"We were looking for properties that were pretty inexpensive to buy, like resales and fixer-uppers. Anyway, one of the things that popped up in our search was the Go Tower. Ron and I were surprised by this! We had no idea there was trouble, so I had Ron check out Team Go's financials. Do you have any idea how much in debt Team Go has gotten into? They're about to get foreclosed!"

Shego sighed in resignation, "Yeah, I know about it. Hego has never stopped emailing me, begging me to come back. He always thought my coming back would help donations. But I was just too angry to ever respond."

"Yeah.", Kim said, "I understand. But I think I can solve this problem, if you're willing to give it a shot."

Shego stared at her, nonplussed.

"What are you talking about? How can you solve it?"

"All we have to do is talk to Hego."

Now Shego was sure she'd really lost it.

"Are you kidding me? You'll never get Hego to agree to any compromise of his control of Team Go or the property! Which, by the way was given to him, alone, as he was the only one of legal age at the time!"

"That had to hurt.", said Kim.

"I was seventeen! Jeez!", she groused, "He took control of it alone and never let any of the rest of the family share in any of the decision making! That's the way it stayed! So this is strictly a family venture as far as he's concerned, one where he is 'the boss'!", the last two words she said mockingly, using air quotes.

"Do you know that when he got into financial trouble, he even refused help from the government?", she vented angrily, "They were going to give him grants and zero percent interest loans for Pete's sake! He's so cheap, he didn't want to even be thought of as owing anyone anything! He doesn't understand finance, and he's too proud to take anything from anyone! He's the worst person in the world to handle money! Except Drakken! Or the buf―... ...the sidekick!..."

At the moment Shego mentioned Ron, Kim tensed up, but quickly managed to relax. This was one subject that was still a little sensitive for her. It used to really bother her before whenever Shego talked about him, even when it wasn't in a negative way. So it was hard at first when she had first started talking to Shego after her surgery, hard to talk at all of course, and bringing up Ron usually ended up being an invitation to an argument, or worse. For Kim, knowing that he had almost died to save an evil villain like her who had up to that time shown no sense of appreciation for his sacrifice simply made her blood boil. Shego realized that early on, so the subject was avoided. But that changed during one talk about six weeks earlier, in mid-July.

* * *

"How's... ...Ron?"

Kim's body stiffened like a board. Turning back to Shego, she stared hard at her. Shego's look was unreadable, but her eyes did seem to show a little apprehension. Her hair had started to grow back and was now about shoulder length, having grown close to eight inches in a little over a month. Kim momentarily was jealous, envious that Shego's hair grew out so thick and fast, thinking how incredibly cool that was. But she quickly brought her attention back to the question, one that always raised a great deal of emotion in her.

"He's... ...fine.", she answered hesitantly

"Oh, okay. No permanent injuries, huh?"

Kim could feel the anger welling up, but held her composure.

Looking away she said, "No, thankfully, there are no permanent injuries. He's almost back to normal."

Shego smiled and seemed to relax, though not completely.

"Well, uh, that's great. I'm glad he's okay... ...you know."

That went too far for Kim. A hard glint in her eyes, she stared back at her arch-foe.

"No, I don't know. Frankly, why do you ask?"

Shego became uncomfortable, not wanting to start an argument. She tried to explain.

"Uh, look, Princess, I..."

"Don't call me that!", Kim growled angrily and got up from the chair, stomping towards the door in a pure fury.

"Wait, Kim!", Shego shouted desperately, "Wait! I need to say this! Please!"

Her hand on the doorknob, she stopped. Slowly turning around, her face in a silent rage, she glared at Shego, arms crossed.

"Okay.", she said almost inaudibly, "Say it.",

Shego exhaled heavily, trying to make herself relax.

"Look, Kim. I know I've only been out of surgery about a month. But I've got to tell you that... ...that everything seems to have changed for me. It's hard to describe, but I used to be like you, you know! I was a hero! I can remember how I felt about doing the job, and I was so dedicated to it, Kim! I was! I actually enjoyed helping people! I liked saving Go City from nuts like Aviarius!"

Kim didn't move, still angrily staring at her.

"I just don't know what happened.", Shego said matter-of-factly then, "It seemed like the importance of the job got to be less and less. People didn't respect us like they used to do. Some of them were even starting to put out petitions to the government to stop us, saying we were as big a threat as the bad guys. Can you imagine that?"

"Part of the job, Shego.", replied Kim icily, "You know that despite everything heroes do to help people, some of them simply won't appreciate it and will actually fight against the heroes trying to do their jobs. A real hero has to take that in stride and keep going."

"Yeah.", she replied, "I know. I know where you're coming from, and you're right. I guess it just got to me, because the more it went on, the more it seemed it wasn't worth it. It just kept making me angrier and angrier. Here I was, breaking my back trying to help all these idiots who didn't care one whit about what I did for them, and it just seemed like it wasn't worth it one way or the other, like it really didn't matter what I did. It made no difference!"

Shego's face went blank then, her voice almost mumbling.

"And then one day, I just didn't care anymore. Hego was just doing his silly stuff like he always did. My other brothers. Oh, geez, don't even get me started on them. Anyway... ...I just left."

Shego stared at her with the most forlorn look Kim had ever seen. Her eyes suddenly glistened from the tears that welled up. Startled, Kim lost her angry glare as her arch-foe went on.

"I... ...just... ...left..."

"I left my family. I left my job. I left everything behind. I didn't care anymore, about anyone, about anything. I was so... ...so... ...so angry at everything! To the point I felt nothing else, except maybe despair..."

Surprised, Kim saw Shego was really worked up about this. Her own rage quickly disappeared as she observed the conflict being played out on Shego's face. Over the last month she had been talking to Shego on a regular basis, helping her regain her memory, in high hopes that she had truly changed, but that hope had dimmed with time as she never saw much of anything to prove that her Mom was right about her personality, that it might have been influenced by the tumor she removed. Even though she kept trying, it seemed more and more a waste of her time, to the point she dreaded coming in to see her, and this affected her mood accordingly. 'Maybe Mom was right after all.', she thought now as Shego kept pouring her heart out...

"After I had gone, I had no direction, nowhere to really go. I just spent some time kicking around the country, just bumming, you know. And then one day I saw some magazine with a want ad in it. I don't know why, but the first thing I saw was this doctor type advertising for an assistant. It happened that I was close by to where he would be interviewing people and there he was, Drakken."

Her brow furrowed in curiosity, Kim asked, "Okay, so that's how you two got together. But you and I both know how he is. Why did you stay?"

Shego looked at her with an inane expression, then threw her hands up in the air and snorted noisily, like she had no idea why...

"I don't know!", she blurted out, confirming that, "True, I was immediately put off by the whole blue skin thing, you know? And then I found out he wasn't a real doctor. I almost did leave. I don't know why I didn't! Somehow I just couldn't work up the energy, or the interest, to do it. I had gotten to know other villains by then, so it seemed to me one villain was as whack as any other. Besides, I kind of enjoyed taking him to task, you know, and Drakken does have talent. He has made some pretty incredible stuff."

"Yeah.", replied Kim icily, "Bad stuff."

"Yeah, yeah, okay. You got me there. But he is good at it! Anyway, I just figured as long as nobody was going to appreciate what I could do for them, I might as well just get what I could out of the deal. I really enjoyed sticking it to everyone else. I guess it gave me some sort of perverse sense of purpose."

As she said that, her voice trailed off almost to inaudibility, and in that moment, Kim could get a sense she was feeling a great deal of guilt. Shego stopped and took a deep breath, exhaling it completely before she continued.

"What I'm trying to say is that I just spent the last several years of my life angry and vengeful. I guess it was because of that thing inside of my head, because ever since your mother operated on me, I haven't felt that way at all. I never bothered to consider all the damage I caused. It wasn't important to me. In some strange way that I can't even begin to comprehend now, it was okay and right because somehow it was what was owed to me. But now..."

Shego's demeanor changed completely. Kim was shocked. The look on her face was so wretched. She was so emotionally vulnerable, something Kim had never expected from her.

"But now.", she said almost in a whisper, "I look back and see what I've done and it just doesn't make any sense! I don't understand why I did what I did. I only know I can feel now that it was... ...so wrong."

She started openly crying. Wrapping her arms around herself, she bent over double from the emotional pain she felt, sinking to her knees. Kim was totally astonished. The last thing she ever thought she would see her most dangerous arch-nemesis express such remorse. Tentatively, slowly, she bent down and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Uh, Shego. It's okay.", she said hesitantly, "I think I can understand what you're saying."

Shego looked up at her, her face wrenched in pain and in tears, saying, "I'm sorry, Kim! I'm sorry about what I did to hurt Ron in Africa. That's what I wanted to say. I'm sorry for it all, for everything I've done."

There was no doubt in Kim's mind now of Shego's sincerity. She gently pulled Shego in and held her close, letting her cry on her shoulder, holding her there, letting her cry herself out, absolutely floored by this change. She said nothing more, unsure even of what she could say, so she didn't do anything until Shego cried herself out.

After a long while, Shego finally did exhaust her tears, and got herself together. She dried her tears as they both got up off the floor, straightening their clothes.

Embarrassed, she stuttered, "I'm, uh, thanks, Kim. That was generous of you, considering."

Kim had regained her composure, but she still looked at Shego in shell shocked surprise.

"Sure, it's okay. I understand. But why?"

"I had to get this out, Kim. I needed you to know how I... ...how I felt."

"But what started this? How?"

Still sniffling, Shego glanced away and dried her eyes again, looking back at her and saying, "You know my memories have been really screwed up the last few months before you captured me, especially the two weeks before that last fight. I've been getting pieces of it back from time to time. Your mom tells me I probably won't remember everything, but I should recover most of it. Anyway, last night I finally started remembering that last fight we had in the Caribbean."

Kim crossed her arms, not sure she wanted to hear about this. It was still painful to her. But she stayed quiet, listening.

"I remembered you showing up.", she said softly, "I was just waiting. I knew you would come. I had just one thing on my mind that wouldn't go away. Destroying you for good, finally for good. It meant everything to me then. Part of that was all the trash talk at first, you know. But what started all this was when you said you loved him."

Kim gaped at her, her mouth dropping open, surprised and wondering why she would remember that specific point, and moreso wondering why it was important to her. Shego went on.

"I didn't think about it then, of course. But when I remembered you saying you loved Ron. It made me remember the way he protected you at the Monkey Temple. It was easy to know how he felt about you because I know he knew what little chance he had of surviving that. I remember, because I would have killed him if I had the chance."

Kim's face blanched at that, even though she was sure that was what Shego had intended then.

"And he didn't hesitate in the slightest to do it anyway", Shego continued, "It just brought everything home for me. The way he felt about you, the way you felt about him. It made me try to figure out why the hell I had done everything I had done! To find out what was important to me now, instead of then, or what should be."

Her face wrenched up in pain again, but she fought it and kept going, "For weeks I've been trying to rationalize that everything I've done was just this stupid tumor in my head, that I wasn't to blame for it! But when I remembered that, when I thought I was the one who almost destroyed him, took away someone you felt that strongly about, that you loved that much..."

Her voice was almost breaking with those last words...

"I know that feeling, Kim.", she cried, "God, I know what it feels like to lose someone like that, and somehow I couldn't avoid the blame anymore."

The tears were filling her eyes again.

Still stunned, Kim stared at her, "How do you know?"

She took a another deep breath to keep from sobbing, "There was someone, when I was in school."

"What happened?"

"I wasn't sure, then.", she replied stiffly, gazing up at the ceiling a moment in rueful agony before looking at Kim again, "I met him when my brothers and I started Team Go, when I started high school. That someone, he said something changed me. After that, he said he couldn't take the change anymore. So he left me. I didn't know what that something was, until now."

Kim saw how much this was hurting her. It was something she apparently had never resolved, and had just come to the conclusion that it was somehow all her fault, that she had completely screwed up her own life. Somehow, it was connected to this old relationship. But Kim could see her mother had been right. She had never seen this kind of conscience or remorse in Shego before, and she was sure now that removing the tumor brought those virtues back full force, somehow. However, she did wonder just how much losing this boy she loved had also contributed to her being evil...

"You loved him that much, huh?"

"Oh, yeah.", whispered Shego quietly, painfully.

Shego stood tensely, her arms wrapped around herself, and it struck Kim that she had never seen her so fragile before. She put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Shego. I'm really sorry."

"It... ...it was a long time ago."

"But obviously it still hurts you, a lot. I do appreciate your telling me this, really. I know, at least a little, what that kind of loss is like."

Shego frowned at her, "Huh? You broke up with Ron?"

"No!", Kim replied firmly with a smile, "Ron and I are tight. I was talking about... ...Eric."

Shego grimaced with a snort, "Oh, yeah. Well, I was partially responsible for that too, wasn't I? You know, I actually gave it its name."

Kim looked intently at her, "Look, I know Eric never really existed. It still hurts some, I admit."

Shego faced her again, saying, "I'm sorry about that too, you know."

Kim smiled, "It's okay, Shego. It's not so bad now. Besides, I've something better, something real."

Shego took comfort in that and smiled at her through the tears, "Yeah, you do. But you see now why I had say this. I felt you deserved to know, and I just had to get it off my chest."

Kim nodded, "Yeah, Shego, I see, and I thank you for that, very, very much."

She held out her hand, and Shego looked at it momentarily in mild surprise before facing Kim again, then she smiled and took her arch-foe's hand in a firm grasp.

Still sniffling from the tears, but grinning wide, she said, "Thanks, Kim. And about Ron... ...Look, if I can give you a small piece of advice. Don't lose him. I know there are times he might make you want to scream. Actually, he probably will, but you keep him, okay?"

Kim smiled wider at her, "Oh, don't worry. I plan to."

Shego's face became peaceful as she said, "Glad to hear it."

* * *

Brought back to the present, Kim thought about that outburst, that first sign that Shego really had turned the corner, and smiled as Shego vented on...

"He's the worst person in the world to handle money! Except Drakken! Or the buf―... ... the sidekick!", Shego had said as she sat back down on the bed.

Back when she opened up and apologized for what she did, Kim was so sure that she had turned back to the 'good side' after all. After that, they could discuss him although it did take her a little more time to become comfortable with it.

But now Kim didn't even mind her almost insulting her love again. Shego did manage to correct herself in time. Kim just thought to herself with glee, 'Ooh, Shego. You're going to have to edit that top ten list.'

She smiled wickedly and said, "Well, after today I don't think Hego will have a choice. I just learned Bueno Nacho Incorporated bought the controlling interest in Team Go Limited Enterprises."

Now Shego looked at her like she was whack, "Like what does that have to do with anything? Drakken only used that company to take over the world and take you out of it! You know, I have to give him credit that one time. That really was the best plan he ever came up with. It almost worked, too."

"Almost.", Kim said with a grated edge in her voice.

Shego smiled devilishly and laughed a bit, "Boy, and Eric really got you, too."

Kim went cold.

"Don't remind me.", she said icily.

Her former arch-foe blanched a bit, realizing she had hit a little too hard with that.

"Oops. Mybad. Didn't realize how sore that still was."

Kim relaxed, accepting the apology and smiling back, "It's okay. No big."

"Thanks.", Shego said, glad to leave that topic. She returned to the subject Kim had raised, "So, how in the heck is Bueno Nacho going to help this? Won't they just take over the assets and kick my brothers out?"

Kim looked at her so smugly then, "You really haven't figured it out, have you?"

Shego looked at her weirdly and said, "Now where have I heard this before?"

"What do you think happened to Bueno Nacho?"

"I dunno exactly." Shego replied, confused, "I heard after Drakken and I were arrested that the company went belly up, got bought out by some investor at a super cheap bargain basement price. Wait a minute, I remember now. The news mentioned this investor was the same person who invented the naco, and whoever that was managed to turn the company back around and save it.

"They even brought back 'naco night'!", she added with obvious distaste, "Do you know how disgusting that thing is? I don't see how it sells. I am so thankful it didn't do well in Go City."

Kim replied, "Well, it did pretty well everywhere else. It's still one of the main attractions of Bueno Nacho worldwide. Anyway, who do you think invented the naco?"

"Uh, I think it was some teenager from Middleton. It was... ...wait a minute, it was you?"

A look of revulsion crossed Kim's face, "Ugh! As if I could be caught eating one of those things? No way!"

"Oh yeah, right. That's too disgusting to think even for you."

"Oh, thanks loads.", replied Kim dryly.

"Gotcha."

Shego smirked at her, snickering, and Kim smiled back, appreciating the joke.

Then Shego's face lit up, finally getting it. She gasped as she stood, faced Kim, and said, "Wait! The sidekick?"

Kim smiled wider, "Bingo!"

"The sidekick? Ron Stoppable? He owns Bueno Nacho?"

"The whole enchilada! Or least most of it."

Shego's brain went on overdrive with the ramifications.

"But, but, but how does that fit in with Team Possible?"

"Where do you think Team Possible's money comes from? The government isn't doing it. It's Ron and Bueno Nacho who gives us our financial support."

"Wait a minute. So that means you control Team Go now?"

"Yep!"

"You're in charge?", she yelled in shock.

"Got that right!", Kim said smugly, "This is my organization here, Shego. Lock, stock, and barrel, and Team Go is now part of it."

Shego stared at her.

"Gosh, and I thought you were just visiting here or something."

Kim shook her head in exasperation, then went on, "Look, when I asked Ron to buy out Team Go Enterprises, he made it clear that he would do it so Team Go would come under the umbrella of Team Possible as a branch division. He put me in charge."

Shego's eyes went wide, and she started laughing, "You? Leading Team Go? Oh, I can't wait to see Hego's face when he hears this! He'll be soooooo mortified!"

She doubled over in pure hysterics on the bed as Kim gazed at her with a perplexed look.

"Well, not leading directly, just overseeing.", she replied as Shego continued to guffaw, not really listening to her then, "Obviously, I have my own crew to run. But I'm not going to tell him. I'm giving the satisfaction of doing that to the agent I've actually chosen to take over as head of Team Go."

Still laughing hard, Shego asked, "Oh, yeah? And who would that be?"

"You."

... _Dead silence_...

Shego stood back up and froze. She was so stunned, Kim could have knocked her over with a feather, or a naked mole rat for that matter.

"But.", she sputtered, " but, but..."

Having sprung the plan she had envisioned and discussed with Ron and her parents, Kim became animated, her tone more serious.

"Look, Shego.", she said, "Your brother is a wonderful person. I like him and he really is a sweet guy, and he's really a very dedicated super-hero. But both you and I know he's not leadership material. And though I'm sure they are also all really good guys, Mego and your younger brothers aren't any better. The only one in your family who has the brains to really lead the outfit effectively and control them is you! After all the times I have fought you and seen you in action, I should know! Come on! What do you say?"

"But I'm evil!", Shego blurted out, "Or, I was evil! Uh, do people still think I'm evil?"

"Well, there is that perception, I admit.", Kim said with concern, "And I had to do some fast talking to get people to change their minds about it, I'll tell you! Even Ron was shocked when I first told him, but he came around. It took me longer to convince my parents, though. They're still a little cranked about that whole Tempus Simia Temple thing."

"Yeah, guess I can't blame them, really.", Shego replied softly out of the side of mouth.

She was silent, staring at Kim, an unbelieving look on her face.

"You would trust me this much?", she said in a very small voice.

Looking her straight in the eye, Kim calmly said, "Yes, I would. I have faith in you now."

Shego continued staring at her, goggle-eyed and shocked.

In a breathless voice, she said "I can't believe anyone could do something like this for me, especially someone whom I've tried to destroy as many times as I have. Why are you doing this?"

Kim still had the serious look on her face, her arms crossed in front of her, "Because it's the right thing to do. Your brothers are in trouble. You have the power to actually save them. And I can give you the chance to do something with your life that's meaningful. How could I not do it?"

Shego still looked like a deer caught in headlights. It hadn't hit her yet, and she was not quite ready to open up.

She smirked as she dissembled, "Boy, that do-gooder thing really has you, doesn't it."

Kim sighed, frustrated.

Shego went on, "Hey, don't worry, you know. Uh, I actually like the idea. And you're right, it really is the right thing to do. They are my brothers."

Kim chuckled, trying to capitalize on that feeling, "Yeah. I knew you let them have their powers back after that Aviarius incident."

"What! I thought only Drakken had that idea!"

"It was obvious, Shego!", Kim said, laughing, "You totally did it!"

Shego looked appalled as she objected, "Did not!"

"Did, too!", Kim fired back, laughing.

"Did!... ...Not!", Shego fired back.

Kim just grinned at her smugly.

Shego continued to look indignant, but soon smirked in feigned acquiescence as she said, "Okay, okay, I admit it!"

Then her face fell, "Oh my gosh! Wait a minute! That means I gotta take orders from you?"

Kim frowned, thinking to herself, 'Only for the immediate future. Then...'

Then she added, "Well, yeah. I am the agent in charge of all Team Possible operations."

Shego blinked a couple of times, a blank look coming over her as she thought it out.

Then she sighed, blowing a bang upward off of her face, and said, "Well, it can't be any worse than Drakken."

Kim grinned and said, "Got that right!"

Shego sat down again, thinking it over, then said, "Okay, if I'm in charge of Team Go, this might just work."

"Then you'll do it?"

"Well..."

But Kim saw her eyes start to light up. Shego looked at her and there was hope and excitement there, the first time Kim had seen that.

"How will we start this?"

"First, we have to sit down with your brothers and spell it out."

"You mean 'I' get to spell it out."

Kim smiled again, "Yes, you get to spell it out."

Shego grinned eagerly at that, "Ooooh! I would so love doing that."

Kim went on, "I'm really pretty sure your brothers will stay on. Anyway, once that's done, the first thing we do is completely refit the Go Tower. It's in serious need of some upgrades.

"About time, too.", replied Shego a little testily, "That's good. I like it, a lot!"

"After that, Team Go can resume their usual operations in Go City. You will have pretty much a free hand in local affairs there."

"And in more wide spread missions?"

"There may be missions where I'll need some extra heavy firepower. That's when I would call you in. I'll direct operations overall, of course, but how you execute the tactics of your team during them, I'll leave to you."

"Hego won't like to travel."

"Tough. I'm sure you'll find a way to convince him.", Kim replied with a knowing grin, "And there's one other thing."

"Yeah?"

Kim was definitely thinking of the future as she said, 'There may be times when I may not be available for a mission. Jos is now my second in command."

Shego frowned, "Huh?"

She mused about that and added, "Yeah, that's sounds okay to me. I think the kid's good enough for the job. But I thought Ron would be the obvious choice. "

Kim shook her head, smiling, "I trust him to lead the team, Shego, but he's happy just being the sidekick."

"Wow.", Shego answered, grinning, "Maybe he is smarter than I thought."

Kim chuckled, knowing she was only half-way kidding, and then continued, "I think so. Anyway, there may be times when both Jos and I may not be available. If a mission comes up then, I may need you to take command until one of us gets back."

She looked at Kim again in awe of her trust, softly saying, "You're sure of this?"

Kim looked at her, knowing Shego would be even more flabbergasted if she knew what she truly planned in the end. She would make the choice to marry Ron, and simply turn the whole thing over to Shego, the way it should have been anyway if Hego hadn't been so dense about confining his activities to just Go City. Team Go was a perfect act to succeed her in saving the world. But she wasn't going to spring that on her now.

"Hey, I'm giving you Team Go.", she replied, "It's not that big a stretch for leading the whole operation."

Shego nodded in agreement, "Yeah, you're right. But thanks anyway. For your trust."

"So, what about it?"

Her former arch-foe sat there looking at her steadily for a good while before she answered.

"Yeah.", Shego said, grinning, "I'll do it."

Standing and facing her, she put her hand out, and Kim took it in hers, grinning just as widely as they both shook on it.

"What now?", Shego asked.

"I have to call Ron. He'll get the company lawyers to work on your status. Somehow we'll get this all legal. The final documents on the sale of the building will be filed later this week, then we have to contact your brother and meet him at Go Tower and tell him the 'bad news'."

"Right.", she said with a smile, enjoying that thought, "Is there anything I need to do?"

"Not right now. You just have to cool your heels here a little while longer until we can get you out on bail for the charges pending against you now, not to mention getting new trials for your previous convictions."

"Oy.", replied Shego, rolling her eyes, "I don't even want to think about that."

"Me neither.", said Kim, "But Ron will take care of it. Until then, if you leave the base, it'll be under my custody. That way we can get things done. In a couple of days, I want you to call your brother and make arrangements for us to meet. The sooner we get this going, the better."

"Great! I can't wait!", she said in anticipation, then her look turned thoughtful, "You know, I still cannot believe the way the sidekick has shaped up and is able to do all this stuff. He really has become ' all that', hasn't he?"

Kim smiled serenely, "Believe me, Shego. No one was more surprised than I was. But I am so grateful for it."

Shego nodded approvingly, "Good for you, Pumpkin, good for you."

"Okay, I'll let you know when we get this all started, okay?"

"Right!"

Kim smiled and turned to go out the door, supremely satisfied that her plan had been executed to perfection.

"Uh, Kim?"

She turned back around, "Yes, Shego."

She had that unreadable look on her face again, but her eyes easily betrayed her emotions, and Kim was surprised to see gratitude there.

"I just want to say again, thanks. Really. It really is true. Nobody's ever done anything like this before for me. I can't tell you how much this means."

Kim smiled and said very serenely, "Shego, you are welcome, and I mean that."

Inside though, she was jumping up and down yelling "Buya!"

It would make it that much easier to turn the entire operation over the Shego in time, when she was ready to retire with Ron...


	23. Chapter 23

With Shego's acceptance of Kim's offer, the alliance between Team Possible and Team Go was sealed, and the first expansion of their operations soon got underway. Ron and Wade planned the initial trip to the Go Tower to begin installing the renovations. But before that could happen, Shego had to take command. She emailed her brother to tell him she was coming to see him. Hego was surprised, joyously in fact, thinking he had finally gotten the chance to get his little sister to rejoin the team and her family calling her directly on her phone as soon as he got the email. But his celebration was short-lived when she told him she was bringing a guest, Kim Possible. This raised a lot of suspicion from him as to why she was bringing her arch-foe along for the ride. Shego did not elaborate, saying only that she would explain when she got there. He then seemed to accept that, and replied in a conciliatory manner, but she could sense her answer did not satisfy him. Hego told her to go ahead and just come on into the building and he would meet her at the conference table. He had never revoked her status as a member of Team Go, so her access codes were still active. After that he told her he was happy that she was coming home and that he couldn't wait to see her, then ended the call. Shego informed Kim that her brother was expecting them, but Kim could sense the uncertainty in Shego's mind.

"Are you sure it's okay?", she asked in concern, "You don't sound like you're sure it's okay."

"I just don't know.", Shego replied uneasily, "It's the way he reacted. I would have thought he would be happy to see us working together, but he doesn't seem to like that we are. Maybe it's just you, though I can't imagine why... ...I don't know! Something doesn't sound right about him. I can hear it in his voice."

"Hmmmm.", Kim mused, "It does seems strange."

"Whatever.", said Shego dismissively, "We can sort it out when we get there. It won't affect the changeover."

"True."

Shego stopped, looking pensive.

"I wonder.", Shego said, "Maybe he knows he's already lost the building to you. Maybe that's why he's hostile to you."

Kim shrugged, "I think he would have mentioned it then... ...or maybe not. But like you said, it doesn't really change anything."

"Yeah.", Shego reflected, " Geez, it's going to be kind of rough telling him he's no longer in charge, not to mention we're gonna gut the place temporarily."

Kim nodded and smiled, "I'm sure he'll learn to to accept it."

"Yeah...", answered Shego philosophically, "Best we can do for now. Okay, I got to go and prep the jet."

"Right."

She took off to get the roboplane ready for the trip to Go City. Kim beeped Ron and let him know of the plans. Later on, when Kim and Ron were getting their backpacks ready, the Kimmunicator beeped again. She groaned, hoping that it wasn't another mission from Wade, but unfortunately, it was. Fortunately, it wasn't an emergency.

Wade explained, "The American ambassador to Rodeghan is headed for a peace conference in Western Europe, accompanying the Rodeghanian diplomats that have been invited. The United States is considered a key facilitator in these talks and he's been threatened by a group of terrorists that have been active in the region. The government is asking for your help to make sure he gets there safely."

She frowned, thinking it through. She could sense Prince Wally somehow being behind the request. She really did not want to do this right now, not with things between Shego and her brother being so precarious.

"Is this threat credible?", she asked.

"Looks like it.", Wade replied, "These terrorists aren't specifically from Rhodeghan. It looks like they've been recruited from all around Europe. But their agenda is mainly anti-American, and they have a pretty strong track record of following through on their threats. This could be dangerous."

She groused about it for a minute, then thought it through. Prince Wally was now 'President Wally' of Rhodeghan. After his term as class president, he had gone back to his home country and did exactly what he said he would do, which was to convert the kingdom into a constitutional monarchy and successfully run for the presidency of the country. How that foppish elitist could have ever won that election, she'll never know, but that wasn't the problem. How was she going to take care of this?

Then it hit her. 'Why not let him do it?', she thought, 'He's proved himself.'

"Okay." she told Wade, "The problem here is I'm set to go with Shego to the Go Tower and meet with her brothers. I don't want to delay that. Ron can handle this. He can take charge of a ninja team and insure the ambassador arrives safely."

Ron looked up in mild surprise at her. Wade was actually wide-eyed.

"You want me to lead the mission?", Ron asked.

"Sure.", she said matter-of-factly, "You can handle it."

Wade warily queried her, "Are you sure about this, Kim? I mean, no offense, but..."

She glared at him hard.

"Wade, he can do it.", she said a little sternly, "You know he can."

Wade looked at her pensively, pausing as he thought it through himself.

"Hmmm. Okay, Kim. It's your call."

He signed off the connection, and she stuffed the Kimmunicator into her back pack along with the rest of her equipment.

Ron kept staring at her...

'What the heck?', he thought, 'First she's trying to keep me out of danger, and now she's putting me in the middle of it?'

She was facing away from him as she packed.

"Really?", he asked again, "You're sure about this?"

She stopped packing and let out a deep breath, then turned and faced him, her arms folded in front of her.

"Absolutely.", she said with a smile, "After everything that's happened, I know now you're more than capable of it."

His left eyebrow raised slightly in respectable contradiction.

"You didn't think so before."

She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"That was before!", she said in amusement, "What's the matter, Ron? You've always been after me to let you lead a mission."

"Well, yeah.", he replied, scratching his head, "But even when I did good, you weren't for it. Like when I saved the cheerleaders and Mr. Barkin at Camp Wannaweep. You told me I did real good, that I was brave and really resourceful. And then you turned right around and said it was ferociously unlikely I could lead a mission."

"That is true, Ron.", she mumbled guiltily, "But you've got to realize things were different then. You're right. You were amazing on that mission. You did great. But you were still Ron, the 'child-like wonder'.", saying the last words a little mockingly.

He frowned and said, "You're not going to throw that at me again, are you?"

"No, no, no.", she said quickly, "I'm sorry. I don't mean it as a cut, really. It's just... ...Look, I knew you had the potential, but you hadn't yet lived up to the maturity to do the job. That's all. I was too afraid you would get sidetracked and endanger a mission."

She sighed, gazing at him with that face that told him again how much she cared for him, showing how supportive she was trying to be.

"You complemented me back then in a way which could take up the slack whenever I fell down on the job. You can call it 'Ron Factor' or 'Rufus Factor' or just plain dumb skill. You never let me down in that way. But you didn't stay that way when I was back in control of the sitch. Then you went back to being, you know, 'Ron'. You know how you were back then. It's just like what Jos had gone through when she started."

Ron was silent all through her explanation.

"I understand that.", he said after a few moments, "And you're right. The funny thing is I remember how badly I wanted to lead a mission. Gosh, I wanted so much to prove to you I could do it. But back then, I couldn't see that I was nowhere near ready... ...I can now."

Kim came up to him and put her arms around his neck. He easily embraced her in return.

"That's why things are different now, lover boy.", she said affectionately, "You do see it. And you've proven over and over now you can handle the job."

"So why were you trying to keep me out of danger in Saudi Arabia, then?"

She stared at him in surprise, "I wasn't trying to do that!"

"Yes, you were."

"No, I wasn't! It just wasn't necessary for you──"

"Come on, Kim.", he interrupted, "You were, and you know it."

She looked annoyed at him, "It wasn't necessary for you to get involved. I had it handled."

"Kim..."

"Okay,", she huffed in defeat, "Maybe I was being a little... ...motherly."

"So now you want to let me lead a mission?"

She suddenly had a strange look in her eyes, now seeing the conflict of her actions.

"Well..."

Ron smiled, "Look. It's okay. But you have to understand I'm fine. I can do the job."

She smiled back at him, "Yeah, I think you can."

He looked into her eyes, seeing how comfortable she was with her decision, then replied, "There's still one other thing, though."

"Which is?"

"Even if I was ready back then, I still don't think you would have let me do it, let me lead a mission."

Her jaw dropped in mock offense, "No way, Ron! I would have done it."

"No.", he replied, an amused grin on his face, "You were, and still are a bit, too much of the control freak. You didn't like letting go of the reins then, and you still don't."

Kim backed away from him a bit, resting her hands on his shoulders, her look of being offended now a little more real.

"Ron Stoppable! That is so not true!"

"Is too."

"Is not!"

Rufus popped out of Ron's pocket to add his two cents worth, chittering, "Yep! It's true."

Kim frowned at the mole rat.

"You stay out of this!"

Rufus muttered grumpily and receded back into Ron's pocket.

She ignored that, stating unequivocally to Ron, "I am not a control freak!"

He laughed, taking hold of her arms.

"I'm not calling you that exactly.", he said mirthfully, "It's just you... ...you like being in control. I mean you really like to be in control."

She looked at him, frowning, unable to contradict him.

"Ron, I'm not that bad!", she finally answered.

"Oh, yeah? Go ask your parents!"

She grimaced, but said nothing further.

He added, "Look, Kim. You have this tremendous drive in you to be the best at whatever you do. And, God, how I love you for that! It's that drive which makes you want to stay in control, to make sure that things got done right. It's what makes you the best at what you do. So, you're right that I wasn't ready to lead a mission. But I think I'm right, too. You weren't ready to let anyone else lead a mission. And the best proof of that is when we first went after Killigan."

She looked up in disgust and said, "Oy, you mean Will Du."

He smiled and said, "Yeah. That wasn't just a fight to beat Killigan. It was a fight to beat him too, to prove you did the job better."

"And I did!"

"Right. And even in Cambodia you took charge."

"Good thing, too. We would never have caught up with you."

"Uh, not even with the snakes?", he kidded her, grinning.

"No big!", she said, her tone firmly denying the allegation, "I still would have gotten past them without him. I am who I am, after all."

"Yeah.", he agreed, nodding, "I know you would have."

"And even despite that, I still got the job done!... ...with what resources I had available..."

"Touché.", Ron said, laughing, "You sure did get it done, and it proves my point. You just don't like not being in control. So, my question was not about whether I was ready to do the job. It was whether you were ready to let go and let someone else do it."

After a moment, her face changed, telling him she understood. She put her arms back around his neck as his hands encircled her waist and he pulled her close. She leaned her forehead into his, looking deep in his eyes.

"I see what you mean.", she said, "You don't have any doubts now about leading a mission, do you?"

"Not since Africa."

She closed her eyes for a moment, deep in thought, then opened them with a smile.

"When did you get so smart?"

He grinned and chuckled, "Not until I fell in love with you. First smart thing I did."

"Maybe.", she said with a laugh herself, "Okay, Ron. You're right. I don't like not being in control. Not only that. You were right about Wannaweep. I wouldn't have let go then either, no matter how good you were. But I am more comfortable with it now. I can let go of the reins now and give them to people I can completely trust. But I thought you'd be excited to lead a mission."

"Oh, I am, kind of.", he replied, "It's weird. For so long, I wanted so bad to be the leader, the one in control. And now that I am going to do it, it's not that important to me anymore. Oh, don't get me wrong. If you want me to do it, I'll go. It's just that there's no longer anything I have to prove to anybody now that I've proved it to you. Becoming an equal partner with you was the hardest thing I ever did, Kim. But I won't ever trade that experience for anything. I couldn't tell you I was ready. I had to show you. I knew I could do it. I just had to get you to see I could do it, too. That was enough for me."

She smiled widely at him, her eyes thoughtful.

"You've got nothing left to prove to me, Ron.", she said lovingly, "I do trust your abilities now, although it would have been nicer if you had just showed me earlier than you did. Those missions, and us, might have gone easier."

He gazed at her in a way Kim could not quite decipher.

He said, "No, Kim, not really. You see, things happened the way they were meant to happen. I know it was rough, for both of us, but it was for the best."

She frowned.

"Sensei said that too, but it doesn't make any sense, Ron.", she said, "If you had told me when you came back from Japan, we could have avoided so much of the trouble we went through. I never understood what Sensei meant by..."

Ron interrupted her, ducking his head and firmly shaking it from side to side before looking back up, catching her eyes with his.

"No, Kim. That was exactly the point. Remember what you were going through then."

"But..."

"Hear me out. I wasn't ready either. You need to think about it some more. It'll come to you why we had to go through everything the way it happened. The good thing is we got past it, and stayed together."

She looked sourly at him, then dismissed it and said, "Well, you can lead missions now, if and when necessary."

"I know, Kim. But you are the natural leader. You were born to do this. And although I know I can do it, it's not quite so easy for me. My point is that I'm not looking to ever be a team leader in Team Possible. I'll do it if and when it becomes necessary. There's only one job that I will always fight for and never give up."

"And what's that?"

He gazed into her eyes with a firm resolve.

"I will always have your back... ...Always."

Kim kept looking back at him as her smile got wider, then leaned in and kissed him very deeply for a long time. When she pulled back, her forehead was still touching his as she spoke again.

"I wouldn't have you anywhere else, lover boy.", she whispered.

He smiled again, "Okay, I guess I better get ready for the mission."

Going to his backpack, he started to unpack it.

"Hmmm, Not so fast, Ron."

He turned back to her, a questioning look on his face, "Huh?"

"I changed my mind."

Kim got Wade back on the Kimmunicator.

"Wade, I want you to call Global Justice to take care of that ambassador job. I'm going to need Ron with me after all."

Ron said, "But Kim, you said..."

She cut him off, a look of false superiority on her face.

"Ron! 'Control freak' here.", she joked with a fake air of snobbery, "Let me do my thing."

He appreciated the jest and smiled, holding up his hands as he mockingly fended off her verbal attack.

"Wade, can you do it?", she continued.

He was typing furiously, "Yeah, I can call in a favor or two. Okay, it's done."

"Good. Keep in touch."

"Gee, Kim.", he said, "You delegated that job to Global Justice, when you didn't have to. That's a first."

Her mood turned serious. She stared at the Kimmunicator.

"Wade, I am not a control freak!"

He smiled at her, "Not saying you are. But you just did delegate a job you would have normally done to someone else. I think it's cool you're loosening up."

"Wade!", she growled, definitely angry with him.

"Oops! Gotta go!", he said quickly and the Kimmunicator screen went dead.

She growled in frustration and glared at Ron, feeling really irritated.

Ron stood there whistling with a pout on his lips and innocent eyes darting around the room trying to give the impression he hadn't heard any of that.

* * *

As Shego flew the jet to Go City, everyone else was going over their gear, getting ready for the job they were about to take on. Kim was sitting by herself in the command seat, a little apart from the others, quietly smiling as she recounted the conversation she just had with Ron. She so relished the incredible closeness they shared now. The amazing thing about it was that she had thought that she could never feel the emotion, the love, the spiritual connection she had with 'Eric', and to her surprise, the relationship she had with Ron far exceeded her wildest expectations, and if possible maybe even past that. She would have never believed it before it actually happened. She thought again about Ron's capabilities and was comfortable with the decision that she really did fully trust him. But she realized that she hadn't been that reassured before now, before today, and she wondered why. It was true. She never seriously thought about letting him lead a mission until this day, and it disturbed her because she saw that it had taken so long for her to trust him like that. 'Why?', she thought, 'That doesn't make sense either.' On a whim she opened up the Kimmunicator again.

"Wade?"

Wade popped on screen and looked at her warily, "You still mad?"

"Of course not!", she snorted in amusement, "Listen, I got a question. Why didn't Ron tell me up front about the Japan trip and his new skills?"

"Well, Sensei told him not to."

"Yeah, I know that. But why?"

Wade looked at her with a serious face, "Don't you see, Kim?"

She stared at him, trying to understand, but still not getting it.

Wade went on, "Listen, I know you didn't ever want to hear about this again, but I actually checked the disrupted time lines."

Kim gasped in shocked disapproval, "Wade!"

"It's okay, Kim! I didn't look at your futures, just your past. More specifically, only the pasts of disrupted time lines and every one I saw where he told you before the Killigan golf club mission ended in disaster. You left him almost every time. You broke up with him, and the bad guys won."

She stared at him in shock, "No way! I wouldn't have."

"Yes, you did, Kim."

She blinked, perplexity slowly growing into appall, "How, Wade? We're BFF's!"

"Think about it, Kim. Before Japan and especially before the Junior Prom, you know how immature Ron was, always bragging about you and the things Team Possible could do, always doing crazy kid stuff, not being that responsible. You know how he was always stretching the truth a little, especially about his own abilities."

She looked at him uneasily.

"Yeah..."

"Tell me the truth. Did you believe him back then?"

"Well, he wasn't trying to lie, Wade. He just sort of exaggerated, you know.", she said unconvincingly, as if she herself wasn't sure she believed it, "I just took most of whatever he said with a grain of salt. He always meant well."

"True, but still, if he told you what he was doing, would you have believed him?"

"Of course, I would!", she said at first, but her face gradually changed to uncertainty, "Well, maybe... ...maybe, if he showed me?"

"No, Kim. Didn't happen.", Wade said sadly, "You think that way because you can see how responsible he really is now, how much he has matured. But it wouldn't have happened back then. You see, it took him time to fully learn his Kung Fu skills and the wisdom that came with it. He wasn't really ready to act effectively on his own until the two of you invaded Drakken's temp lair with the synthodrones, and not fully ready to do anything independently until Killigan. Until he was truly that ready, you wouldn't have ever taken him seriously. And even if he proved what he could do under combat conditions you would have just attributed it to 'dumb skill' or luck or something else. And remember, you still hadn't resolved the 'Eric' thing."

She gasped again, in shock, "You, too? How did you?..."

"Kim!", he interrupted, "Even I could feel you weren't trusting anybody, especially yourself! It wasn't that hard to figure out!"

She frowned silently, her mind clashing with these disturbing ideas. She was especially disturbed that the 'Eric' thing was more obvious than she knew.

Morosely, she thought, 'Jeez, everybody figured it out!'

"Look, Kim.", he continued, "I saw all the time lines, every single one. When he told you and showed you early on, you either didn't believe him or absolutely didn't trust him to handle it maturely. Each time line showed you two fighting over how to do the missions, especially during the missions, which made them fail. He thought he was ready to step up to the plate, to be your equal, but you thought he was just showing off. You weren't ready to let go of the control, because you thought he would endanger the missions with all that 'Ronness', and you blamed him for that. He made it worse because he hadn't yet learned he had to be ready to sacrifice everything he had, everything he was, for you... ...not until Killigan. Without that, he couldn't help you resolve the 'Eric' thing, which never happened in those timelines. So you never learned to trust yourself again. And since you didn't trust yourself, you never trusted Ron. Because of that, he felt you betrayed your friendship, betrayed him. It destroyed you both in the end."

It struck her how that could be true. She remembered back to how troubled, how insecure she was then, shuddering at the memory of how much "Eric" had hurt her. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more it frightened her exactly how easily it could have happened like Wade said. Her face pensive, she thought it through.

"Okay, Wade.", she whispered apprehensively, "You may be right."

"You have to understand.", he went on, "There were two crucial elements that let you both succeed. The first was when he decided that he was going to completely submerge his own ego and simply support you when you needed it. That's what Sensei and your Nana taught him to do. Even when he had mastery of the Mystical Monkey Power, he chose not to take credit for it, to not even let it show so you wouldn't feel threatened. He chose only to be there for you and use his abilities in the background when he had to. That required him to completely give himself to you, to the point he would sacrifice his own life. Only then could you have seen he was the one you were meant to be with. Sensei knew this was how it had to be, and how hard it would be for him to do it. He also knew it wasn't enough for him to just tell you. He had to show you in a completely selfless way so that there was no advantage, no angle he could get out of it, the way he used to do. You would have never accepted it so unconditionally otherwise. Ron himself didn't get that at first either. It took time for him to understand. And then he needed time to prove to himself he was willing to do it."

"You mean Killigan."

"And especially Africa, Kim."

A shiver went through her body, thinking of Africa again. It reaffirmed again in her mind how much Ron did love her by his willingness to sacrifice himself in the Temple of the Tempus Simia. It still amazed her.

"I get that now, Wade. But I still don't see how why he couldn't tell me earlier. I don't care about the time lines. We could have made it work."

Wade sighed, shook his head, and looked at her, then said, "Look how many times he 'stepped up to the plate', Kim. First, he got his act together with school, then he showed you what he could do at Killigan's castle. Then there was everything he gave you at Christmas, and finally, Africa. Look at how many times he simply gave all he could to you. He was showing you that he completely trusted you to make the right decisions, that you had what it took to be what you were meant to be, the leader and hero you were meant to be. He was showing, and trusting you all along that you could do it. Yet, you couldn't see it."

"But I accepted that after Killigan, Wade! I believed! I believed in him!"

"Yes you did, Kim... ...intellectually, but not emotionally or spiritually. He had worked out his problems. But you still didn't believe in yourself yet. You were too focused on your own worries, on your own lack of confidence."

She stared at him, becoming very uncomfortable as she remembered the avatar on the plane to the last fight with Shego.

"Here's the kicker, Kim.", Wade said, "Like I said, he had to show you that he would willingly sacrifice himself completely for you with everything he had, including his life if necessary. He realized that was the only way you could be sure he would never betray you... ...like 'Eric'. And I think that's what finally convinced you. You see, it was only when you thought that Ron sacrificed himself in Africa and was likely dead. That was when you were convinced he totally believed in you. And only when you knew and truly understood he so believed in you in such a completely emotional and spiritual way, could you believe in yourself again."

"But I realized that!", she protested, "I realized..."

"Not fully, Kim. Not until you thought he was gone forever."

"But... ...but I realized I could do anything again!"

"Only when you defeated Shego in Drakken's temp lair in the Caribbean, after his sacrifice. Only then did you completely accept him and let go of your fear."

Kim's features blanched as a wave of emotional insight blasted through her like a tsunami. Before she went out to defeat Shego, she remembered what Nana said.

..."Didn't he stake his life on it?"...

She realized Wade was right. She knew it as soon as he said it. It was reaffirmed at the moment she banished the Avatar.

"Oh my God.", she whispered, tears in her eyes, "It was all right in front of me and I didn't see it. Even now, even now, he just told me the only job he would fight for was to protect my back."

"Yeah. The old master had it right, Kim. You had to wait until you were both ready. Until the prophecy played out exactly."

"Oh God... ..Oh, God. I was so blind", she murmured, her hand covering her mouth, and she was troubled again.

'But Wade. I knew I loved Ron before Africa. I knew he was the only one for me. I knew I could trust him then. Why did it take his having to sacrifice himself for me in Africa to do this?"

Wade smiled reassuringly at her, "You were too far withdrawn from what happened with you and 'Eric'. Like I said, you could trust him, but you still hadn't quite trusted yourself. Yes, after Killigan, and Christmas, you were better able to accept him. But even then you held back just a little too much. You hadn't quite believed in yourself because even with the battle suit, you didn't beat Shego in Africa. It wasn't until after Ron sacrificed himself. That was when you finally regained your full confidence, that ability to do anything, because in your eyes he proved with his sacrifice that his belief was the truth. You could finally accept that in your heart. He was willing to show you he knew you had what it took, even if it cost him his life. Because you trusted him by then, you believed in him. And because he believed in you, that let you believe in yourself again. And because you believed again, you beat Shego at her most powerful in the Caribbean, not just without the battle suit, but injured too."

"But... ...Wade. Why didn't he tell me he loved me before?"

Wade looked at her with all the compassion he could muster.

"Normally I would say, what more did he have to do to prove it to you, Kim? Really? But I know why from the time lines. Jos barely stopped you from jumping out of the air car after Ron. You hesitated because you didn't know he did love you. You would never have hesitated if you were sure he did. In every time line where you knew he loved you, Jos didn't get to you on time. You fell into the temple. You didn't make it. Ron knew it, and there was no way he was going to risk that."

She remained quiet, eyes shut, tears coming down. She knew it herself now. Deep in her soul it was so clear now. She should have known he loved her. She just hadn't trusted herself to accept it until he proved to her how much he believed in her. The ironic thing was she had even said so herself that last time the Avatar tried to assail her, the time Kim finally defeated the demonic image and exiled it forever from her consciousness. She had said it, and yet still it had not quite settled into her mind, or even her soul. Immersed in thought, she looked out the window, thankful that nobody was near enough to notice she was crying. She understood now what Ron has meant when he said things happened the way they were supposed to happen. For a long time, Wade let her think it through before addressing her again.

"Everything okay now, Kim?"

Slowly, she smiled at him, eyes glistening, 'Yeah, I'm okay. I just have to think about this awhile. But I believe I understand now. I truly do understand it. And Wade... ...thank you."

He grinned confidently at her.

"Hey! What are super geniuses for?", he said chuckling, and then signed off.

Kim clicked off the Kimmunicator and stowed it in her pocket, being very still and thinking it through, astounded at this sudden insight. It all made sense now. It all came together. She sat there, staring aimlessly out the window, lost in the new revelation when she heard a soft noise behind her, followed by a voice.

"I'm glad you understand, Kim."

Turning her head, she gasped quietly and saw Ron standing behind her. He came around the seat and knelt beside her, looking intensely into her eyes.

"You heard?"

"Most of it, yeah."

A couple of tears floated down her cheeks, 'I'm sorry, Ron. I'm so sorry, I didn't see it before now..."

He put his fingers up to her lips and gently shushed her quiet.

"It's okay, Kim. It's okay. I didn't either. You know me. I'm no genius. It took me awhile to see Sensei and Nana were right, too. But I finally understood. All of my life, you have always been there. But I couldn't get past my own conceit to really see you and what you meant to me. It was after that first kiss, at the junior prom, when I finally realized how much I loved you, that I knew nothing was more important to me than you. After the prom, I saw how 'Eric' had affected you, and I saw that I had to prove to you I would never, ever do to you what it did. I didn't understand how at first, until Killigan. Sensei knew that you needed someone who would show you that, before you could heal and get past it.

"We each had to get past our own demons, Kim, or they would have destroyed us. You had to learn to trust again, especially yourself. To do that, your confidence in yourself had to be restored. That was the mission I had to accomplish. To do that, I had to grow up, to learn how to give myself completely for you when it was needed. I had to accept the sacrifice not only to save you, but to save myself too, even if I didn't make it. It was Sensei who showed me how..."

His face grew troubled as he whispered in a low tone.

"But even then, I didn't see it like that, not until after you rescued me from the temple. After Christmas, I knew then I was able to tell you everything Sensei had told me to not tell you initially, to tell you all I could do. But I couldn't because... ...I could tell you everything except... ...except how much I loved you. I couldn't just then... ...I couldn't..."

She looked at him sympathetically, "I know, Ron. I know. I understand now."

"I didn't think either of us would survive." he said, his voice thick with emotion, "It wasn't right to commit ourselves... ...and if you did make it, then for me to just leave you in all that pain... ...if, if it would have all been lost right after that... ...if I was gone. I couldn't hurt you like that. I couldn't. That's why I didn't tell you how I felt."

"But in the temple! Before you fell! That's what you were trying to say.", she cried softly, "I remember."

"Yeah, I was.", he said, "At the last moment, I... ...I had to try. I just had to. I'm sorry. I couldn't bear leaving you forever without you... ...without you knowing... ...without me telling you out loud."

She stared at him, her face easing into a look of rapture, and she gathered him into her arms and hugged him close. As she did, the intensity of her feelings rose up, enveloping her in a warmth of emotion that felt so fulfilling, so loving, so wondrous, and she saw something in her mind she had never seen before. At first it was misty, almost formless, but then there were wings, golden scales with red streaks, a massive golden reptile head, with red eyes, vapors rising from its nostrils, a massive muscular body with four dangerously taloned legs... ...all barely visible in that mist floating in and out of sight, almost of consciousness. There was an urgency to the message it seemed to have on her. She was confused, and didn't understand, but she knew it was calling to her. She had to answer it. She had to...

All thought of giving up being what she was left her. She looked back at Ron again, suddenly seeing him differently, realizing again what he had accomplished, how he had truly, really... ...grown up. He was a man, capable, strong, competent... ...exceptional. The feeling came to her that she was doing what she was meant to do. She was somehow meant to save the world. She could not refuse it. She had that instinct in her since she was eleven years old. She never knew where it came from. It was always a part of her. She had just accepted it, like every other indisputable fact of her life. She was meant to be the one who saved the world...

'But how?', she thought again, 'Can I really do both...?'

She pulled back and gazed at her love, knowing now that any sacrifice such as he had made proved exactly what she wanted, and needed. He could be all that for her... ...and more. He proved it... ...not once, but twice. She knew then, and smiled as serenely as she ever had, knowing she was no longer forced to make a choice. She could have both... ...she could do both...

She didn't know how, but there was no longer that fear for him. She didn't know why, but she was fully confident that Ron would be okay, no matter what, that they would be fine...

And the dragon rose up in her mind, looking at her with glee, with confidence, with eagerness to go forward, to meet her destiny...

"I... ...I had to tell you.", Ron repeated, waking her from her distraction.

"Oh, God, Ron. I'm glad you did.", she whispered tearfully, "I am so glad."

"You're okay now?", he asked.

"Yes, Ron. It's okay. I understand, and it's okay. You see, I was trying to tell you the same thing, just before Monkey Fist stole you away."

"I guessed that. But you know you have to keep going. You can't stop saving the world, not just for me. We can both do this. Kim. We can."

Kim gasped softly, "Wha..? How did you...?"

"I suspected.", he said, "And knew for sure when your mother told me you were thinking of giving it up, even before you said it."

Kim grimaced, "Ron. I felt I couldn't risk you that way. I couldn't. Not if it meant..."

"I know what you meant, and I understand." he said, "But I think part of the reason you were going to give up saving the world was because you still didn't fully believe in yourself again. You thought you couldn't do both... ...be with me and save the world, and you were willing to give that all up for me."

"You are worth it.", Kim said with determination, her face set sternly, "You are."

Ron smiled.

"And I love you so much for it.", he replied softly, "But you're past that now. You know you can do it all. You are all that."

Kim's eyes brimmed with tears, her face glowing with the confidence she had before, as she should have always had, and she slowly nodded, "I know now... ...I know."

Ron continued, "There's always going to be risk, Kim. But my risk is no greater than yours now, and together it's even less. You know I can do this too... ...We can do this... ...together. Okay?"

She gazed at him.

"We can do this.", he repeated solemnly.

'He knows too.', she thought. She gazed deeply into his eyes, her face calm and serene, eyes glowing, knowing now it was all right. She could do both, and do it confidently. Another tear dropped, moistening her wrist where he held her hand.

"You're right, Ron. We can do this.", she said softly, "I do trust you, and because I can, I do trust myself again. You gave that back to me, and I am so grateful for that."

"So we'll keep on saving the world? Like we're supposed to do?"

Kim smiled hugely at him, and slowly nodded.

"And I meant what I said.", replied Ron, "I will always have your back. I don't need the limelight or fame or any recognition. I only need you."

Kim let go of a quiet sob, then whispered, "I love you so much."

Ron smiled and cupped her face with his free hand, saying "Right back at you, K.P.", then leaned in and kissed her long and tenderly.

The rest of the team had noticed their exchange and glanced away smiling, trying to look like they weren't paying attention, but after a good minute of this, Shego finally glared back at them from the pilot's seat, grinning.

"Hey! Are you guys going to play kissy face all day or what?", she mocked, "We got a mission to complete here, you know!"

Their emotional tryst so rudely interrupted, Kim and Ron had to break off, laughing at themselves. Shego turned back to studying the plane's controls, chuckling softly and enjoying her joke.

"You okay now, Kim?", he asked.

"Yeah.", she said smiling widely, "I'm fine, really. Really fine."

Ron smiled and kissed her one more time, then got up and went to recheck his gear. As he did, he yawned widely, remembering Kim had also yawned a little earlier.

"Kim, how did you sleep last night?"

Drying her eyes, she looked at him and replied, "Not too well, Ron. I had another..."

"...one of those dreams.", he finished.

She realized he dreamed last night as well, saying, "About the golden temple and..."

"...the three statues?"

"Yeah..."

"Oh, brother!", said Ron, "Here we go..."

"...again.", finished Kim.

At that, Shego turned back and stared, irritated.

"Will you two stop that?", she complained, "Your brothers are bad enough!"

* * *

Team Possible arrived in Go City shortly after that. The robopilot was activated to run system checks after they landed. Shego guided the craft onto the hangar sitting on top of Go Tower and led the group to the entrance. Placing her hand onto the security panel, she activated her green power, which triggered the doorway open.

"So dumb", Shego muttered quietly, "He should not have trusted me by leaving my access code in the system. Not that it matters, I could have hacked it anyway."

The team went down the elevator to the large conference room where the five members of Team Go usually met to discuss their operations. But as the door opened into the huge chamber, she saw nobody was there to greet them.

Kim expected Hego to be waiting, or at least somebody to be there to meet them, but the room was empty.

"This is weird.", she said, and she could see by Shego's reaction that she felt the same.

Looking around, Shego said, "Something's not right here."

"Oh really?", said a voice from the top railing, "You were expecting a parade or a party in your honor? Hardly what I would think a traitor should get!"

They looked up in surprise.

"Drakken! What are you doing here?", said Kim.

"Perhaps I should be asking you that same question?", the villain sneered from the catwalk, "Especially since my former henchman there seems to have switched sides, again! You just can't get good help these days, it seems. Well, no matter."

Shego became enraged, and Kim was afraid of what she might do. She powered up her hands, and Kim quickly held her back.

"Not yet, Shego! It's not the right time!"

"Not the right time?", she yelled back, "After all I've done for that blithering, monomaniacal, blue skinned, mama's boy? I'll tear him apart!"

"Shego!", Kim barked at her and getting in front, "Hold off! Remember our bargain. I'm in charge!"

That got Shego's attention. Clearly she wanted to just let go, to blast him with everything she had, but she held back.

Calming down and switching off her power, she said, "Okay, Princess. You're calling the shots."

Kim had another flashback. She used to be more than a little cranked at the 'Princess' comment in the past, which Shego had always used as a term of derision. Even when she continued to use the term after her change, Kim told her she was still bothered by it, although she no longer heard any malice in her saying it. One day Shego sat her down and explained.

"You're right, Kim.", she said, "I was dissing you before with the 'Princess' thing. But I want you to understand something. You see, my family was poor. We didn't have much. I never had the clothes or the bling the other girls had. Because of that..."

Shego smirked, looking embarrassed, before becoming serious again.

"...and my big mouth, I was an outsider. I hated all those those pop princesses, those cheerleaders, with a passion. They were always making fun of me."

Kim nodded in understanding.

"Well, the tumor probably didn't help things."

"Probably not.", Shego agreed.

Kim's brow furrowed, saying, 'But Shego, you're pretty, you're smart, and gosh, I'm know you certainly had the moves."

"Yeah, maybe.", Shego sighed, "But you know that doesn't mean squat if you're an outsider like I was. It didn't matter to them whether or not I qualified if I didn't come from the right side of the tracks."

Kim winced, knowing she was guilty of times of being that biased against others in her school. Sure she was only a sophomore at the time, and she knew better now, but...

"Yeah, I understand. Even I behaved that way sometimes. It was wrong."

"Glad to hear it, Prin... ...Kim." , said Shego, "Anyway as I said, I went through school an outsider, always resenting those 'princesses'. So it was only natural when I joined Drakken and came up against this cheerleader arch-foe to nickname her what I thought was the most disgusting insult I could come up with. In my mind at the time, it fit."

Shego smiled, her eyes reflecting warmth for Kim.

"But I don't feel that way anymore, although it was kind of natural for me to continue calling you that just out of habit. So yeah, I was thinking maybe you would take it as an insult still, but I no longer meant it that way. And look, I wanted to make a statement. If anybody has made me think differently about cheerleader types, it was you, and if I truly thought it was still an insult, I would stop. So I'll say this. If you still think that way after this, I will stop...

"However, what I want you to know is that when I call you 'Princess', I really mean you are the cream of the crop. You really are royalty as far as I'm concerned with everything you have done for me in the face of everything I've ever done to you. It's my way of acknowledging you in the most respectful way I can think of."

Kim was surprised, really moved by her explanation.

"Thank you, Shego.", she said thoughtfully, "I really appreciate that. Now that I understand, it's okay with me."

Shego smiled, "Thanks... ...Princess."

Brought back to the present, Kim turned around and addressed Drakken.

"All right, Drakken. What's your sicko plot this time?"

Dr. Drakken assumed a gloating posture. It was to be expected.

"Oh, you're too late. I've already stolen all of Team Go's technical data and intelligence, which I shall use in my new plan to take over the world!"

"Blah, Blah, Blah! Drakken!", Kim replied in disgust, "I've heard it all before!"

"No! It's quite different now!", Drakken retorted, "You see, Kim Possible, this time I really have a bone to pick with you! It's not bad enough you've defeated me in my nefarious schemes! But now, you dare steal my henchman? Well, two can play that game!"

"I was never your henchman!", shouted Shego.

Kim also quickly riposted, "And Shego was never 'stolen', Drakken! She was sick and now she's healed! She can make her own choices! She doesn't need you anymore!"

"So it seems.", he replied in a disinterested manner, "Well, it still doesn't matter. As I said, she wasn't that good anyway and I have better candidates from which to choose."

Shego lit her hands up again and growled, but held her position. She had perfect control now. After the tumor had been removed, she had regained normal use of her energy blasts.

Drakken went on, "What comes around, goes around! You stole her and she decided to betray me, so I decided to steal something from her!

He laughed maniacally as he shouted, "Now she is betrayed! Now I have my own super henchmen! And not even the team of Ron Stoppable and Kim Possible can stop me now!"

He continued to gloat as Hego stepped out from a side doorway and stood next to him. He had an evil grin on his face, and a small red dot on his forehead.

"Good to see you, Sis!", he said, "Sorry your homecoming won't be quite the welcome you expected."

Then Mego and the twins stepped up behind him. They all had the same evil grins and red dots on their foreheads.

Kim inhaled sharply, "The neuro-compliance devices!"

Drakken strutted on the railing, "Ah! I see you remember them!"

"I remember the boring stories you made me listen to!", Shego grated, gritting her teeth.

"They were not boring! You just couldn't appreciate them!", he spat at her, "But as it is, I have refined my little invention. Your brothers have free will and can therefore think and act independently with all of their abilities, an improvement I intend for you to experience by the way. That means they can fight as well as they always have. The devices simply adjusted their ethics to a more practical mind set, my own. Then they just needed a little, shall we say, persuasion to join me."

He cackled evilly to finish his rant as Kim whipped out the Kimmunicator and quickly got Wade on the line.

"Wade! I need a silicon phase disruptor! Now!"

Before, the silicon phase disruptor was a specialized piece of equipment that had to be brought along, but Wade had since made revisions to the Kimmunicator to create the same effect. He had the device adjusted in no time and the signal went out to hit the dots.

Nothing happened.

Drakken laughed even more, "Go ahead! You'll find I have made my invention immune to that primitive piece of junk your brat brothers built. But now you see the genius of my plan! I shall start taking control of all the minds of the heroes of the world! And through them I shall control the world!

"And now, Kim Possible!", he raged on, "Time for you and, your new lackey, to suffer the consequences! Team Go! Attack!"

Shego's siblings jumped off the railing and went after Kim and the team. Clearly angry, but still in control, Shego was set to go after her older brother but Kim had another plan.

"Shego!", she ordered, "Go after Drakken! I'll keep Hego busy."

Shego looked back at Kim, a little surprised, but followed her instructions. Hego landed right in front of his sister, but she jumped away from him up onto the top railing. He didn't have much chance to think about following her as Kim came in right behind her and planted a back kick into his chest, knocking him down.

"Ron! Take Mego!", Kim yelled as Hego quickly recovered his feet.

"Got you covered, K.P!"

"Jos! You got the twins!"

"Roger, cuz!"

Kim ducked just in time as Hego slammed a fist six inches deep into the column right behind her. Jumping back up, she executed a perfect turning flying back kick and knocked him back thirty feet, but it didn't even slow him down. He rushed right back in and was throwing haymakers at her as fast he could, but she easily avoided them. She kept engaging him with as many kicks and punches as she could which kept him occupied even though they didn't do much damage. But it bought time. Ron zeroed in on Mego and they were also exchanging blows. Mego kept shrinking and blind-siding him with kicks to his feet and shins. Then he would enlarge and surprise Ron when he least expected it. Rufus jumped out and put a stop to that by landing on the floor and staying close to Ron. This way any time Mego shrunk down, Rufus could take him on. Jos shifted into a multiple opponent defense as the twins multiplied and tried to take her out by overpowering numbers, but they found that was not so easy. Jos had learned her moves too well from her older cousin. This left Shego and Drakken facing each other on the top railing.

She smirked at her former employer, "Just relax, Dr. 'D'. This won't hurt... ...much.", and fired a plasma bolt right into his mid-section.

She gasped as the energy burst bounced off of a red cylinder of magnetic force that appeared around him. Drakken gloated at her, laughing in his truly sinister way.

"This is only one of the ways I knew you betrayed me, Shego.", he said angrily, "You tried to hide the existence of this device from me after the buffoon discovered it in my stores, didn't you? But I found it nonetheless. Didn't you realize I had designed it in the first place?"

Shego ground her teeth in frustration and let go another salvo of plasma. It also bounced off of Drakken's force field, deflecting into a nearby wall and partially vaporizing it.

"I wasn't crazy enough to let you have anything that would let you control me, Doc!", she yelled as she tried vainly to penetrate it with a third shot.

"Yes, that was always the problem wasn't it?", replied Drakken as he pulled out a strange looking ray gun, "You never would give me the obedience or respect I was due. But then you should have realized it, Shego! You should understand being evil as I am! Evil demands obedience! You know that! How can you be evil and not respect my authority?"

He grinned maliciously at her.

"Well then, let's see if my hyperthermic electron ray can influence you!", he cried, the last words of his rant louder and louder.

He pointed the weapon at Shego and fired. A red plasma burst erupted from the muzzle and hit her squarely in the chest, picking her up and ramming her body against the far wall where the railing connected to it. She crumpled to the walkway floor. Her suit was half-scorched, and smoke was rising from her hair, but she managed to drunkenly get back up to her knees. Pure fury filled her face as her hands lit up again, and this time the glow was stronger.

Drakken was still yelling at her. "Give it up, Shego! You are evil! Join me again as I conquer the world!"

"I am not evil, Dr. D!"

"What did you say?", he said sarcastically, clearly thinking she was being absurd, "Shego, you deny yourself! Admit it! You know you are!"

"Dr. D!", shouted Shego as she stood back up, "You're wrong! I'm! Not! Evil!"

"Oh, yes you are! I'll prove it!", he retorted, aiming his weapon again.

Before he could pull the trigger, Shego let loose the largest bolt of plasma energy she had ever intentionally built up and hit Drakken's force field head-on. This burst was so massive it could not be deflected, eating into the red plasma with blinding sparks. Drakken looked up fearfully as the force field started to disintegrate from short circuiting, then exploded, hurling Drakken off the railing down to the main floor of the room where he crashed with a loud thud. He looked up in surprise as the remains of the force field suddenly vanished, permanently disrupted by the overpowering energy of the blast. He saw Shego standing on the railing, her hands aglow again, as enraged as he had ever seen her.

" _I am not evil anymore!_ ", she roared at him, " _Have I made myself clear?_ "

The battle around them was momentarily interrupted when Drakken landed in the floor so noisily, but soon resumed. Kim was surprised when she saw how much power was in Shego's blast, and it worried her. but she didn't have time to think more about it as Hego quickly resumed his attacks. Ron and Mego were now stalemated in combat, neither quite gaining an advantage. Mego no longer tried to shrink as Rufus was just too much for him at the smaller size. Jos was holding her own as well now against only one of the twins. She managed to knock out the other one, who now lay unconscious on the floor.

Drakken stared up from his position, unmoving. Then, nonchalantly, he got up and dusted himself off, still holding his hyperthermic electron ray.

"Very well, Shego!", he spat vitriolically at her, "So be it!"

Turning the knob on its barrel to the maximum setting, he fired it once more at his former associate. Shego's eyes went wide and she barely jumped out of the way as the railing section she stood on literally exploded into molten metal and noxious gases. Drakken turned and pointed his weapon at the nearest wall and fired again. The wall crackled and smoked away into nothingness, the red beam breaking through to the outside. As he walked towards the opening, he clicked a small remote and his air car soon appeared.

"Team Go! Time to fly!"

Before Team Possible could react, Hego and his brothers quickly abandoned their offensive tactics and ran towards the air car, entering it just after Drakken. Mego stopped long enough to pick his groggy younger brother. Kim and the others tried to take the initiative, but before they could reach the hole, Drakken had flown off.

To add insult to injury, Drakken shouted as he flew off,"You think you're all that, Shego? But you never were!"

Shego stared out at the retreating hovercraft, breathing heavily from the exertion of the blast she had just loosed.

"You know what?", she said as Kim came up and joined her, "This is soooo annoying!"

"Tell me about it.", replied Kim in a monotone.

"I can see now from your point of view just how much more whacked he is than when I worked with him! Even his minions and his synthodrones! Gee! I was so blind!"

"Not your fault, Shego.", said Kim, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Sometimes we can be so easily blinded by people, or even synthodrones, we depend on."

Shego looked back at her, anxious that she had misspoke.

"Uh, sorry. Didn't mean to bring that up again."

Kim smiled and said, "No big. I'm okay. There was a time when I couldn't get past that, but not anymore."

Shego saw her smile and understood. She understood Ron had made the difference. But the present events were more important right now. She turned and looked with worry at the receding craft carrying Drakken and her family away.

Kim frowned and said, "Shego, that last plasma blast was a lot more powerful than anything you usually let loose. Are you all right? Mom said that the increase in the power of your blasts was due to your loss of control from the tumor. Is there a problem with your ability again?"

Shego looked back at her and smiled, "Oh no, Princess, it's all right, really. I gotta thank your mom. You know she's been studying my powers, and she found a way for me to use my concentration to increase the power each time I fire it off. It's not easy and I have to practice it, but I've slowly been increasing my maximum bursts bit by bit all summer, and it's not dangerous to me, although it has a tendency to sap me for a while. Pretty cool, huh?"

Kim's eyes widened slightly soon relaxing, "Yeah, that is cool. Boy, I'm glad you didn't figure that out before you changed."

She snorted, "Oh, yeah. I might have actually beaten you, in which case I probably wouldn't even be here anymore since the tumor would still have been in my head, slowly killing me."

Kim paused a moment then added, "Yeah. But how much energy can you generate? I mean, can you do what you did like in the Caribbean?"

She shook her head, "Unfortunately, no. I did ask your mother about that. She said the tumor actually, and somewhat ironically I must say, stabilized the conduit for that kind of energy expenditure. According to her research, if I tried it now, I'd burn my brain out. What you just saw is probably about as good as I can do and still do it safely."

"Well, I'm thankful for that.", Kim said as she looked out the gaping hole in the direction her arch-nemesis had escaped, "I'm sorry we let him get away, but something tells me Drakken is getting a little desperate now."

Shego stared back out the hole deep in thought, then said, "Got that right, Princess."

"That means he doesn't have many options."

"Heck, I was his option. Not anymore. But now, I've got to save my brothers."

"I know, and we will. But I think they're safe for the moment. Right now, we've got a branch division of Team Possible to get ready here. I'll get Wade to track them and find a way to neutralize the neuro-compliance devices. Then we'll go and get them. Okay?"

Shego looked at her again, grinning, "Yeah, you're right. They're still too useful to him, so he isn't going to do anything to them for now. Good plan, Princess. We'll go for it."

Kim smiled, "Spanking! Okay guys! Gather around!"

Once they did, she said, "Wade'll start tracking Drakken and Team Go. As soon as we know where they are, we'll go get them. In the meantime, let's get to work."

"What about all that stolen technology ol' blue boy got?", asked Jos, "Doesn't that mean we gotta go take him down before he can use it against us?"

"Don't sweat it, kid.", answered Shego with a grin, "Everything my brother has here is so out of date and ancient, it's worthless. It won't help Drakken a bit."

"Right.", added Kim, "And now we upgrade it. Here's what we got to do..."

Everyone got their assigned jobs and went off to do them. Shego started the initial survey of the building, starting with the meeting room. Kim got on the communicator and coordinated efforts with Wade, watching Shego work.

As Kim watched her, she was idly thinking about all the talks they had that got them to this point, still marveling that they were actually working together so well after being arch-foes for so long. Having mentioned the synthodrone, she mused about Eric/901 in passing, and then a thought came to her.

'Shego had said, "I actually gave it its name".', she thought.

'Why?', she wondered, 'Why would she name the weapon that would betray me? Unless..."

Her eyes snapped wide open, '...Unless she thought he betrayed her!'

"Wade!"

"Yeah, Kim."

"Wade, can you find someone for me?"

"Without breaking a sweat, Kim."

When Kim answered, Wade's face turned completely ashen.

"Good. I want you to find Eric."


	24. Chapter 24

It was days later before they heard any further word on Shego's brothers. It came as the work on the Go Tower was going well, though it definitely took its time as the refit was so extensive. It was getting so they could hardly recognize the place anymore. The biggest and costliest thing they had to do was rip out all of the bugged electronics Aviarius had managed to sneak in and replace them with the latest top of the line security and communications equipment. This required close cooperation between all the participants; Kim in her role as leader of the operation, Shego for her intimate knowledge of the layout of the building, and Wade in supplying the best equipment available as well as his technical expertise. Ron and Jos lent as much muscle power as they could. During the smooth progress of the refit, everyone remained on pins and needles about the brothers, ready to go at a moment's notice. When it finally came, Kim was looking over the plans for the hangar renovation near the exit doors. Shego was on the other side of the huge chamber working with the technicians Wade had called in about certain specifications she wanted implemented on perimeter defense. The Kimmunicator beeped. Kim pulled it out quickly and answered.

"Go, Wade."

"Kim, I've found Drakken!", he exclaimed, "He's located on a deserted island near the east coast of Siberia. Sorry, I can't neutralize the mind control devices. They'll have to be surgically removed. It took me a while, but I managed to trace a faint emitter frequency they put out and I can see that Team Go's members are all there. I'm sure Drakken is too."

She grinned in anticipation, glad for this development.

"Thanks, Wade! We're on the way!"

Looking around, she saw Shego well across the hangar and called out to her. The woman instantly perked up and looked at her. Kim held up the Kimmunicator to show her she had been talking on it.

She yelled, "We're on! Wade's found your brothers and Drakken! Let's get the team together and on the plane!"

"About time! You got it, Princess!", shouted Shego as she eagerly bolted for the door to gather up the rest of the team.

Kim was about to put the Kimmunicator away when Wade spoke up again.

"Wait a minute, Kim!", he interrupted, "There's bad news!"

"What?"

"Team Go has captured the Director of Global Justice and the members of Team Impossible!"

"What? Boy! He's not wasting any time, is he?"

"He's probably going to mind control them soon I think. There's nothing to stop him!"

"How do you know he hasn't done it already?"

"The mind control devices' emitter frequencies change to a higher bandwidth when they are actually implanted. So far, the only ones I've detected doing that are the ones on Shego's brothers. My research shows it takes Drakken several days to complete the phasing process that enables them to be implanted successfully, but I just don't know exactly how long that will take! You'd better hurry!"

"Got it!", replied Kim, "We're on our way!"

"One good thing, Kim", added Wade, smirking almost evilly, "His radar's not that sophisticated in this lair. And the roboplane's got stealth mode."

"Spanking, Wade.", replied Kim, grinning just as ferociously, "Thanks."

In near record time, the team loaded up onto the roboplane and was speeding through the sky, everyone's anticipation at fever pitch. Even Shego became uncharacteristically anxious about it, castigating herself for not being able to remember certain things Drakken usually did with his lairs, and other important information like their locations. Her memory still had a good number of holes in it.

"Blast it!", she said, banging the side of the fuselage, "I knew he had a lair in Siberia! I just didn't remember!"

"Calm down, Shego.", Kim said, "After everything you've been through, you can't be expected to recall every memory."

"But I...'

"But nothing.", said Kim, interrupting, "Look. We didn't lose anything, yet. We'll still get there in time before he can do any more damage. Okay?"

Shego finally calmed down and let it go. Kim was right. Having to wait those several days probably didn't cause any further problems. Besides, they had work to do and fretting didn't help a thing.

Still, they inspected every piece of equipment twice and checked every detail. Over the several hours it took to make the trip, Kim discussed tactics with Shego, specifically the usual Team Possible moves. In return, Shego did her best to review Kim on certain defensive responses Drakken was likely to use against her, although Kim was already pretty familiar with them. As she did this, Shego was finally able to recall a few sketchy details about the new lair and this data was uploaded to Wade. Serendipitously, they updated their intelligence and finished brainstorming their plan just as they arrived at their destination. As it had been so many times before, the first step was into freefall. Strapping on their parachutes, they lined up and jumped out. The robopilot took over flying the plane and circled the island, maintaining surveillance with Wade to assist. The team sailed smoothly down and landed in an area where they didn't trigger any sensing devices, one good piece of information Shego was able to give them. By the time they sneaked over to the lair itself, Wade had already found a ventilation shaft for them to enter. Shego made short work of the grill, and they wound their way through the ducts towards where Shego thought Drakken's main lab would be. Kim heard Shego chuckle softly.

"So this is the way you always surprised us, huh?", she said mirthfully.

Kim smirked, "You bet. It really wasn't that hard, you know."

"Yeah. Actually, I do. Drakken never really understood security."

"I kind of got that. You were always rolling your eyes or something every time Ron and I surprised him."

"Just as well.", Shego said sarcastically, "At least he's staying true to form here."

"So right!"

They stealthily crawled through the shafts and arrived at a ventilation grate looking into the central lab, where Kim and Shego could see Drakken puttering around with something on a lab bench as Shego's brothers stood around, looking bored. Kim noted he wasn't wearing his force field generator, then saw that it was what Drakken was holding in his hands. Obviously, he was trying to repair it, but the expression on his face told her that Shego probably had damaged it far too much for it to ever work again. Next to him on the workbench, she spotted four more neuro-compliance devices, ready to install. Looking past him and Shego's brothers, she could see Dr. Director and the three members of Team Impossible manacled and tied down on examination tables. It looked like Drakken was getting ready to implant them, which meant they had arrived in the nick of time.

Kim whispered to the team, "Okay guys, you know what to do. Jos, use those new moves I showed you. That ought to take care of the twins. Ron, you and Rufus play that new strategy we talked about on Mego. Shego has big brother this time, and I'll take out Drakken.

"Ready?"

Everyone nodded. Kim turned and kicked out the ventilation grate and jumped in, followed by the rest of the team. As they landed on the floor, Drakken looked up in surprise, Shego's brothers suddenly taking defensive positions.

"Kim Possible! How did you find me?"

Kim stood up, sighing "You know, Drakken, you have so got to get over that! I always find you!"

"No! I know better! It was that antiquated junk I took from the Go Tower! It was bugged with a tracking device, wasn't it? And who in blazes is Aviarius?"

Kim just grinned at him, "Looks like you didn't get what you wanted, Drakken. But I didn't need a tracker to find you."

He frowned angrily and yelled, "Whatever! Team Go! _Attack!_ "

The brothers sprung into action as Drakken threw down his work and started looking for his ray gun, but Kim jumped in front of him and planted a perfect right fist into his face. He was knocked back into a metal cabinet, turning it over and spilling its contents onto the floor. Shego intercepted her oldest brother and it became a contest of strength versus energy blasts. Ron mixed it up with Mego again, but Mego knew better than to try shrinking when he spotted Rufus clinging to Ron's shoulder. Jos took on the twins once more, but this time she executed a new feint and quickly suckered one of them into a back wheel kick to the head that took him out of the fight, leaving her with just the one. Kim then turned her attention to freeing the captives. Just as she finished doing that, Drakken's henchmen, having heard the battle, came rushing into the room. Eager for some payback, the four Global Justice members charged headlong into them.

Noting that Dr. Director and Team Impossible were handling the henchmen just fine, Kim turned around to see that Shego and Hego had been going at each other with gusto, but the brother was getting the upper hand. In a moment of vulnerability, he managed to grab her by her arms and pull her up off the ground, about to punch her lights out.

"Sorry, Sis.", he cooed malevolently, "but you knew you could never beat me in a real fight!"

"Really, Hego? Want to try me on for size then?"

Hego turned in surprise just as Kim swung in on a line and slammed into him with both feet, knocking him into the nearest wall, indenting it so hard he embedded a twelve inch deep impression of his body in the sheet metal. He let go of Shego when Kim smacked him and she had fallen to the floor, but she immediately got back up, ready for action.

"Thanks.", she said, dusting herself off, irritated, "But I could have taken him."

Kim didn't mind as she replied, "You're welcome. And I know you can take him, but we can all use help every now and then, you know."

Shego smirked, "Yeah, you're right. Good move on your part. Okay, one dumb brother to be laid low. You go low and I'll go high."

"Why do you get to go high?"

Shego grinned devilishly, "Because I'm taller... ...and you're better at ducking."

Kim laughed, "You're on!"

They went after Hego. He got up just as they attacked, and he threw a wild swing at Kim. She easily ducked it and hit him with a round house kick to the gut just as Shego plastered a bolt of green plasma on his head. Stunned, he tried to back hand her out of the way, again missing wildly, and the girls simply cold cocked him with two punches to the face. He fell like a sack of potatoes, unconscious. Standing over him, they high fived. Right after that, Ron came up carrying an unconscious Mego in his arms.

"Good call, Kim!", he said, "Having Rufus jump onto him and under his clothing completely took him by surprise."

He then tossed Mego down onto Hego's prostrate form.

"Hey! Careful there, sidekick!", Shego cried out, "That's my brother, you know!"

Ron blanched a bit, "Oh, yeah, Shego. Sorry, didn't mean anything by it."

Kim stared at him strangely, remarking, "Uh, Ron. He's almost invulnerable."

Her expression becoming mirthful, Shego snickered and turned to Kim, "Has he always been this gullible?"

Kim chuckled, "Well..."

Ron was miffed as he crossed his arms and turned up his nose.

"I am not gullible!... ...well, maybe a little bit. That's what people love about me."

Kim and Shego laughed as Jos joined the group, out of breath, "Why do I get the twins? Running all of their doubles down is worse than chasing jackrabbits out of our garden patch back home!"

"But you got them?"

"Buya!", she said, pointing over to a nearby support beam where she had the twins unconscious and tied up.

Kim smiled, "Good job, Jos!"

She beamed, "Thanks, cuz!"

Flushed with the pleasure of accomplishing the mission, she was about to go find Dr. Director and start the search for Drakken when she heard a noise behind her. She turned to see her arch-foe pointing his hyperthermic electron ray gun at her.

"No more Mr. Nice Villain, Kim Possible!", Drakken spat at her, his face twisted with rage, "This time, you will not escape!"

He fired the powerful red beam at her before she could react, clearly at its maximum setting. Gasping, Shego charged and pushed Kim out of the way just as the beam arrived, hitting her instead. The red plasma picked her up and slammed her hard against the far wall, the sound blast echoing throughout the lair. The metal surface warped in response into the outline of her body. Then she fell heavily to the floor and did not move. Drakken didn't stay to see the results, immediately fleeing after he fired the weapon.

"Shego!", cried Kim, "Oh my gosh! Ron, get the first aid kit!"

He ran off to find it as Kim picked her up off the floor, checking to see if she was conscious. She felt for her pulse and could not find it.

"Shego! Don't do this to me!"

She took time and slowed her thoughts down, remembering what her mother had taught about first aid, then carefully looked her over. Opening one eye, she saw that there was still good constriction of the pupil. She again felt for a pulse and was relieved this time to find it. It was a bit thready but steady. Ron arrived back by then with a kit and he rambled through it.

"What do you need, K.P?"

"Ammonium nitrate! Got any?"

"Uh, let me see. Yeah! Here it is."

Kim took the proffered bottle and opened it. Waving it under her nose, she got no reaction for about five seconds, then Shego tensed up and grunted. Kim took away the bottle and held her up. Gradually, she moved around and relaxed once the smell was gone. Slowly she opened her eyes.

"Wha... ...what hit me? Oh, jeez. I did do that, didn't I?"

Kim frowned at her.

"Shego!", she said, scolding her, "Don't you scare me like that! That was way too big a chance you took!"

Shego looked up at her from under half closed eyes and mumbled, "Mmmmm. No choice, Princess. Not even you would have survived that blast."

Kim helped her up to a standing position. She was stumbling and groggy for awhile, but soon got her balance again.

"Maybe.", replied Kim, "But I still don't want you playing the, uh, taking those kind of chances!"

Shego stared at her with a droll face and chuckled, "Look, sister. I had a better shot at taking it. And yes, I was playing the hero! Isn't that what we're supposed to do here? So quit bellyaching and just say thank you, already! Ow! What a headache I'm having!"

Kim's frown disappeared as Shego turned away, rubbing her head. She sighed and let go of her apprehension, realizing the sensibility of her logic.

"Okay, Shego. Okay, and I do thank you, very much."

Shego looked back at her and smiled, still rubbing her head and trying to straighten her frayed hair and clothes, "No big, Princess. Besides, I owe you."

Kim smiled, then turned to the others.

Jos asked, "What about Drakken, Kim?"

Kim replied, "We'll catch up to him eventually. There's no place he can hide from us now. So we're finished here. Let's head home."

Dr. Director called up Global Justice and quickly had operatives out to clean up the site. Team Possible carefully transported Shego's brothers onto the roboplane and secured them just in case they woke up. Wade was able to analyze the neuro-compliance devices and deciphered the controller frequency pattern. Using this, he sent out a signal through the roboplane's electronics that kept them unconscious. They took Team Go back to headquarters where Kim's mom immediately took them to surgery and managed to extract the mind control units from their foreheads without any difficulty. Then she went on to do some other tests. Because of Shego's condition when she first came to the base, Dr. Possible wanted to make sure her brothers were not having similar problems. She found out she was right, and after the CT scans were done, she came back to brief the girls.

"Boy, am I glad I did those tests, Shego. Your brothers do have the same condition you had. They all have tumors growing in their brains."

Shego looked horrified, "Oh, no. Can you help them? I mean, they can be saved, can't they?"

Dr. Possible comforted her, putting a hand on her shoulder, "It's okay, Shego, it's okay. The tumors are like the one you had, slow growing, benign, positioned in peripheral positions, and not all that dangerous. I'll have them out in a jiffy!"

She visibly relaxed, "Thank you, Dr. Possible! Thank you. Really, I owe you one. Well two, now."

Dr. Possible chuckled and said, " No problem, dear. I'll set them up for surgery tomorrow.", and headed out the door.

"Hmm, I'll bet more than ever that comet had something to do with all this, you know.",she said to herself as she walked away.

After her mother left, Kim quietly watched Shego take a deep sigh of relief, and was amused at her reaction. She knew her well enough now to know she had never been that open about her feelings to people in general, even those close to her.

She said, "You really love your brothers, don't you?"

Having been caught with her emotions bared, Shego squirmed, clearly not liking to be seen that vulnerable.

"Well, they are my brothers, you know.", she stammered, "Uh, family. You ought to be concerned for family."

Kim stared gently at her with a knowing smirk on her face.

"Well?", the older woman challenged, "You know how they are! They're dimwitted! Egotistical! Stubborn to a fault! Sooooo aggravating! Impossible to have an intelligent conversation with! Unbelievably annoying! They have questionable hygiene!... ...Very Questionable! No sense in how to dress themselves! Financially ignorant! And! And!... ...And!"

Kim didn't move, just smiling at her.

Shego's eyes rolled up as she took on a sour look and admitted, "Oh, okay! Yes! I really do love my brothers!... ...But I don't have to like them..."

Kim chuckled and replied, "It's cool, Shego. It's nothing to be embarrassed about."

That just made her blush even more. She frowned, crossing her arms.

"God! I still want to kill them half the time.", she muttered.

Kim laughed and replied, "Hey! They're boys! I love my brothers to death, and all I want to do half the time is kill them too!"

Shego looked askance at her with a grin, trying to stay angry, but couldn't. They both broke down laughing.

"Men!", exclaimed Kim in gleeful exasperation.

"Oh, yeah!", exclaimed Shego, finally smiling again.

* * *

Three days later, the surgeries had been done and the brothers had all awakened without complications. No longer under the influence of the neuro-compliance devices, they were acting more like their old selves. But with the brain tumors removed, they also seemed to be calmer, more thoughtful. A few more days after that, they were up and around, pretty much back to normal. They looked fine except for their heads being bandaged from having to be shaved for surgery. At least this didn't seem to bother any of them like it did Shego. Even Mego seemed unfazed.

Kim would kid Shego about that, reminding her how upset she was when she found out her head was shaved, to which Shego would reply good-naturedly, "Hey! I'm still the only good looking one in my family. So it matters! Okay?". It soon developed to including fashion quips and barbs and the occasional side remark from Shego about Kim being such a 'goody two shoes'. But it wasn't long before Kim realized that the two of them really were developing a strong camaraderie, more than she had ever expected to happen. They had always respected each other as warriors when they were enemies, and it was now serving as a strong basis for a new friendship. She found that she liked that. She liked that a lot.

When Dr. Possible thought the members of Team Go were medically fit enough to go home, Kim decided the time was right to let them know about the new arrangements with Team Go. She scheduled a meeting between Shego and her brothers.

It did not start well.

The two older siblings immediately began arguing about the Team and its operation from the get go. It began as awkward exchanges where Hego was talking big about resuming operations and expanding again when Shego said she was thinking about rejoining the team. Shego quickly became irritated, sniping at her brother's simplistic observations and kept intimating she still hadn't committed to coming back, and hinting at continuing a possible solo career in villainy. This only frustrated Hego into lecturing her on her duties to the team and on being a hero, which only infuriated Shego more. Kim tried to stay out of it as much as she could. But then Hego was towering over her in a threatening manner and Shego lit her hands up. Just as it looked like it was going to get physical, Kim wedged herself in between them, pushing them apart, and shouted for both of them to shut up. This took them by surprise, enough so they became quiet, only glaring at each other.

Shego shut her power down as Hego backed off. For the moment, nothing more was said, and both of them sat down in a huff. Kim took over.

"Hego! It was not your sister's fault she became evil! You shouldn't be harshing on her about that!"

Hego looked at her strangely, "What are you talking about? She chose to do it, didn't she?"

"Not exactly!"

Kim began telling Hego what had happened to his sister with the tumor she had, explaining how Shego had finally changed back from being evil only when the tumor had been removed. She then told Hego that the tumors in the brothers' brains probably had some other deleterious effects on them, too. He stared at her, perplexed.

Rubbing his own bandaged head, Hego looked over at his sister and asked, "Is this true, Sis?"

She was still angry with him, but Shego managed to remain calm and quietly answered, "Yeah, Hego. It's true."

"So you're not really evil, like you said?"

Kim answered that, "She was never evil to begin with. Look, we all have the capacity to do bad things. But we always have the capacity as good people to control them. In your sister's case, the tumor prevented that from happening. Ever since Mom removed it, she's been great!"

Hego turned back to his sister, "But you said so convincingly you were evil."

She shrugged, saying, "So? Obviously, I was wrong. I didn't know at the time."

"Okay, does that mean you'll really come back to the team?", he said, looking at her longingly.

Shego smirked and raised her eyebrows, finally giving in.

"Well, you might be able to say that."

"You promise?", asked Hego quietly.

Shego bit her lip and took a deep breath before answering, "Yeah, Hego. I promise."

Her other brothers erupted into happy shouts, yelling and shouting, "Cool! All right!"

"That's great, Sis.", said Hego, smiling, "We'll be able to get back to the way things used to be at the top of our game! But first things first. I've got to get the Go Tower back from the bank."

Shego teased at him with a grin and said, "Uh, big brother, about that. I gotta tell you something."

"What's that?"

"You're not going to get the Go Tower back from the bank."

Hego looked like he'd been smacked with a three ton sledge hammer, which was about what it would take to affect him.

"Huh?..."

Shego grinned, thinking, 'Uh-huh, that would be the extent of his response.' Kim just smirked, hiding it behind her hand as she ducked her head down. She had promised the new leader of Team Go would have the privilege of telling her brothers how the team was going to be run from now on. That was when Shego laid out how Bueno Nacho had bought out the Go Tower at the foreclosure by the bank, and that Ron was now the owner of it and of Team Go Enterprises. She calmly explained the financial transactions, the renovations of the building, and the plans for expansion and interaction with Team Possible operations. The more she said, the paler Hego's face got, and when she finished, he stood there looking aghast.

"You mean the sidekick buffoon?", he asked, startled, "I never thought he had that in him."

That stung Kim, sighing in exasperation. It would be a long time before Ron ever lived that down, though it was good he no longer really cared. He already had proved his worth to the only person that mattered to him in that regard.

To Shego's credit though, she castigated her brother virulently, "Hey! Don't call him that! Ever!"

Hego was taken aback slightly, but said, "All right, all right, sis! I didn't mean anything by it."

Shego looked over at Kim and winked as Kim mouthed a silent "thank you" back at her.

"Believe me.", she continued, again rubbing her jaw, "I know pretty darn good how 'unbuffoonish' he is now."

"Okay.", Hego said, puzzled, "So, let me get this straight. Team Go is now a part of Team Possible, a subsidiary branch, with Kim Possible in overall command."

Shego nodded with satisfaction, "Got that right."

He folded his arms, drumming his fingers on his cheek for a good while, until his demeanor changed.

"Well, I think I can live with that. The important thing is the family and team are back together and intact. I'm sure that under my leadership, we'll still build Team Go back up to its former glory."

"Uh-huh.", Kim said quietly to herself, "Here it comes."

"Well, about that.", Shego replied, "There's one little teeeeeeeny tiny provision that you'll have to agree to, if you want to keep Team Go intact."

"What's that?"

Shego stood up, drawing herself to her full height, "Kim Possible has made me team leader."

Hego shot straight out of his seat, facing his sister down again, looking stunned, "What? But I've always been team leader! I'm the natural leader, always have been! I'm the oldest!"

"Yeah? And look where it got you!", she shot back, "You lost the building! You lost your money! And you lost me!"

"You said losing you wasn't my fault!"

"Still happened!"

"But this isn't right! I'm the oldest! I should be the one to take care of you all!"

"Hego!"

She was getting visibly upset again. Even her hands were starting to light up once more. Kim could see how easily he could push her buttons. 'Well.', she thought in irritation, 'the tweebs always manage to push mine."

Kim dived back in again and said, "Stop it, you two! Listen!"

Both of them left off glaring at each other. Shego turned off her hands.

"Look, Hego.", Kim said, "I think you are a dedicated super-hero, a hard worker, and an all-around nice guy, but you have to understand we've analyzed your executive decisions over the past several years, and frankly, you just haven't done the job. If Team Go is going to be a productive part of Team Possible, a change is necessary. And take it from me, I think I know your sister well enough to see she has the command capability for this job. She's smart, dedicated, and energetic. You need to give her a chance and support her in this."

He looked at Kim blankly for a second, then back at his sister. Even Shego was taken aback at Kim's strong endorsement of her. He sat down heavily in his chair again and propped his chin on his fist, "Well, it doesn't look like I have a choice, does it?"

"That depends, brother.", said Shego, turning back to him, "Look, it's my job now. I want you to know that I take that seriously. But I need to know that you're going to support me in this. How can I trust you to be on the team if you won't follow my decisions?"

"You didn't agree with mine before you left!", he said crossly, "Half the decisions I made you always argued with me!"

"I'm not asking for blind obedience!", she riposted, "That's Drakken's thing! You're right! I did question your decisions, but I never disobeyed them while I was on the team! You want to question my decisions? Fine! I've got no problem with that as long as you do it in a way that doesn't threaten the team!"

"You didn't always obey Drakken!"

"Well, that was different! He's evil, and I was, uh, sort of evil... ...I guess. Look! The only times I didn't obey his commands was when he was being silly, which he was most of the time actually."

"And I wasn't silly to you?"

"Hego.", she said, ducking her head in frustration, studying the ground a moment before looking him straight in the eye again, her voice calm, "Look! I never said you were being silly! You're not silly!"

She stopped a moment, rethinking that thought and said, "Well, yeah, you are, but not on the job! Listen! Even when I thought you were wrong, I always saw you were serious about what you were doing and that your heart was in the right place. I respected that. I still do. All I'm asking is that you do the same for me."

He sat there, thinking hard, the brothers looking at him expectantly. Kim had anticipated they were going to follow his lead and she was right. Even Mego had lost his egotistical attitude once his brain tumor was removed. Hego sat there silent, fretting and struggling with his decision. But finally he relaxed and sighed, looking at his sister with resigned acceptance.

"Okay, sis. I'll give you that. You did respect my decisions while you were on the team. So, I'll do the same for you. You're leader now."

He got up and went around the table to her, taking her into a tender bear hug, and soon all the brothers had joined them in a group embrace.

"The main thing I wanted was our family to be together again.", he said softly, "I've missed you, Sis."

At first Shego was reticent about hugging her older brother, as always she was never one to reveal her emotions easily to anyone. But this time...

"Yeah, big bro", she replied, her voice breaking as she relaxed and hugged him tight, "So have I... ...So have I."

Shego held on to him, her other brothers surrounding her, being emotional and choked up like Kim had never seen her before. The look on her face was one she was so glad to see, the look of a younger sister who had not seen and had missed her older brother for a long time.

"Me, too.", murmured her younger brothers now completing the group embrace.

Kim thought this was a good time to leave and let the family reconcile, so she quietly slipped away and out the door, closing it behind her. But as she walked away, it opened up again and Shego came out.

"Kim.", she said.

Kim turned and saw her eyes glistening from the tears. She could hardly keep her own dry. Shego came up and grabbed Kim in a fierce hug, letting out a small sob at the same time. Kim held on to her tight, patting her on the back.

"Thank you!", she gushed through her tears as they came down, "Thank you for this chance! I never thought I would ever be able to go back! And never in a million years could I have imagined that it would all be thanks to you! I do so owe you one, sister!"

Kim beamed at her, her joy evident, "You are welcome, Shego. You know I'm really glad to help. And I mean really! It's better, totally better than having to fight you all the time all over the world!"

Shego laughed, replying, "Yeah! For me, too! You always kept kicking my butt!"

"Hey!", rebuked Kim jokingly, "You won a few of those."

"Well, not many.", replied Shego quietly, still chuckling even as she cried.

She pulled back and looked at Kim, still holding her hands. Tears were running down both their faces. Two pairs of green eyes, so long having met each other in enmity, now regarded each other as allies, and more. Shego reached out and gently brushed Kim's hair back off of her face. It was a act of revelation for both of them.

"You know, I never had a real sister.", said Shego softly.

"Me neither.", Kim replied in a whisper.

"You'd make a darn good one."

Kim smiled at her, "Back at you, Shego."

A huge smile came over her, and she hugged Kim once more. Kim returned the embrace just as emotionally. Then grinning hugely, Shego let go and went back into the room with her brothers to work out the organizational details of the new Team Go, subsidiary branch of Team Possible.

* * *

Two months later, Kim was poring over some papers piling up on her desk at Team Possible headquarters. The outfit had swiftly developed under Ron's watchful eye, much to Kim's amazement. She had no idea he could be this organized. Of course, he had a lot of help from his Dad. But still, it was mostly him putting the departments together, doing the initial delegation of the personnel and letting the individual sections start to get things working. Even she was thrilled at being a part of this, as Ron always made sure everything that was done had her approval. It definitely satisfied the 'control freak' in her. But the paperwork was one thing she did not enjoy as commander of Team Possible. It seemed like the more she did, the more piled up in its place in the 'in' box. She wondered how Ron kept up with it, but he was as good with it as she was against super-villains. 'Talk about a weird skill set', she thought. He helped her as much with it as he could, taking the load off of her when he could, but there were some things only the Commander could do.

She yawned again as she went over another government acquisition order authorizing the transfer of top secret equipment and technology to her Dad's lab which needed her signature. Taking care of this responsibility in addition to everything else had caused her sleep patterns to be significantly disturbed for some time. But that wasn't the main problem she had with getting her rest. She was still having the dreams of the Golden Temple, steadily coming more and more frequently ever since they had gotten back from defeating Drakken this last time, usually about once or twice a week. She wanted to talk to Ron about this latest one, being sure he had it too. He had all the same dreams she had, and on the same nights. The one difference was that while they were in the same place at the same time, in each one they were alone. Ron was not in Kim's dream, nor she in Ron's, but it was clear the dreams were related.

The most common one was being in the Golden Temple with the three statues. At least they thought they were statues, but they couldn't for some reason tell what kind of creatures or people they were supposed to represent, and that dream appeared several times. Nothing seemed to really happen in it. They would each walk around, alone, looking at the huge chamber, or was it a courtyard? Kim couldn't tell. She and Ron often discussed the dreams, trying to figure them out. Ron even tried meditating on it, but got absolutely nowhere. It was frustrating because if they tried to leave the place or touch something, the dream would end. Another time, there was a different room, seemingly in the same temple with those three figures in blinding light standing on a dais. Again, neither Kim nor Ron could see who the figures were and if approached, this dream also stopped. A third dream had each of them suspended in a misty vacuum, sort of like they were in outer space with fog, and there were three luminescent spheres surrounding either her or him, again depending upon whose dream it was. The spheres seem to be talking, but neither could understand the speech. There were other dreams, and some of them repeated themselves. Some did not. She even went so far as to ask Ron to get hold of Sensei or Nana and see if they could help, but he had been unable to contact either one of them, something which also was unusual. She was musing over this when the Kimmunicator beeped. Glad for an excuse to do it, she pushed away the papers, and pulled the unit out of her pocket.

"Go, Wade.", said Kim.

"Got a call from Shego. She says she's got a message."

"Okay.", she replied, wondering if the recent jet repair equipment Shego had requested had made it to Go City.

"I'll put her through."

In a second, the smiling raven-tressed face filled the screen.

"Hi, Princess. Disturbing you?"

"Not at all, Shego. What up?"

"Well, I got a strange call from some contacts we have in Asia. They asked me to route a message on through to you."

"Sure. Who's it from?"

"Well, it's your grandmother."

"Nana?", said Kim, surprised.

"Yeah, from China."

"What!", she exclaimed, "I didn't even know she was gone! Why through you?"

Shego just shrugged, saying, "Hey, just passing the message along. I can't say why they didn't connect to you directly."

Kim frowned slightly at that.

"Well, we hadn't heard from her in a few days.", she replied, "Is she in trouble? Does she need help?"

"No, not that I could tell.", said Shego, "The message said only that you and Ron have to go to some out of the way place in Western China and to be there in about three days time. She said it was really important. Then she mumbled something about 'dreams' or whatever before she signed off. I'll send the GPS coordinates you're supposed to go to."

Kim thought to herself, 'Dreams? How did she know about that? And why China?'

Noting her mused expression, Shego smirked, "You never do anything halfway, do you, Princess?"

Kim grinned back, still looking puzzled, and said, "Guess not, Shego. Thanks for the message."

"Sure thing,", she said, "Later, sis."

Kim cut off the connection, and immediately beeped Ron and told him about Nana's message.

"Whadda ya think, K.P?", he asked, "Are the dreams connected?"

"Gotta be.", she replied, "I don't know how, but my 'weirdar' is definitely going off."

"Yeah, and I trust your 'weirdar' more than I trust our NORAD space net. I'll be ready when you are."

Over the next two days, they arranged for friends to cover their college classes and told their parents about the trip. Mr. and Mrs. Dr. P gazed at each other as if it was no surprise, like somehow they knew it was coming. Kim was a little taken aback.

Her father confirmed her suspicion, "Well, we've been expecting something like this for some time."

Kim stared at him, curious, "What do you mean, Dad?"

"It's this, dear,", her mother answered, "When you were born, Nana told us about this 'Prophecy' which concerned her and you. She said there would be a day when you would fulfill it."

Kim kept staring, confused.

"Uh, you're talking about the one she told me about back at headquarters just before I went after Shego, right?"

"I believe so.", her mother answered, looking tentatively at her husband.

Frowning, Kim's father snorted, "Prophecy! I still think it's a bunch of hooey!"

"Now, dear.", she said, mollifying him, "You know that pretty much everything Nana said would happen did come true. There must be something to this."

"Honey, we're scientists! We deal in facts, not mythology!"

"I understand that. But there is no denying the fact that everything your mother predicted did happen."

Her father sighed, very much frustrated at not being able to contradict her.

Kim kept staring, perplexed, "What do you mean, Mom? ...Dad?"

Dr. Possible looked at his daughter, frowning slightly as he said, "Kimmie-cub, your grandmother has never really talked about these things with you or the boys. Of course, I'm also sure there are a lot of things she still hasn't told me or your Uncle Slim either. Now, I know she likes to give this impression she's just an old fuddy-duddy who needs a hearing aid and likes to bake, but your grandmother has done some pretty amazing things in her life."

"Yeah, I remember.", she replied, recalling the adventure where she found out all about her in Florida.

"Well, then you should remember that she is a master of Peng Lang Chuan Kung Fu."

"I do remember. In fact she's been really great at helping me out with some of my moves lately."

"That's wonderful, honey. But what you may not know is that she trained in it from the time she was just a young girl in an isolated monastery in Western China, up until she was about twenty four years old. From what she told me, she was supposed to have been their best student, and that she was supposed to fulfill this great 'Prophecy', to be their 'Chosen One', whatever that means. But at the very end of the training, she had some sort of test, and failed it."

"Failed it?"

"Yes, honey. She said she was supposed to fail it, because they found out she was not supposed to be this 'Chosen One' after all. According to your grandmother, that's when they figured out who it should be."

"Who?"

"You..."

Kim froze in disbelief. What was Nana talking about?

"Is... ...is that why she said she knew about me long before I was born?"

"I think so.", her father said, "Now I found this out just before your mother went into labor with you. Of course, I didn't believe a word of it at the time, but now... ...Well, she said it was very important that your birth take place naturally."

"Naturally?"

"Honey.", said her mother, chuckling, "You were a pretty good size baby. It was a long labor. I was considering having a C-section."

"And your grandmother was against the idea.", added her father, "I think she only reminded me about this 'Prophecy' thing as a reason to let your birth continue the usual way, not that I had any real say about it.", he added smirking.

Her mother grinned knowingly, eyeing him thoughtfully a moment before looking back to Kim, "Quite right, dear. But anyway, Nana explained the same thing to me afterwards, saying that surgery would have changed the timing of your birth. I admit I was just humoring her at the time, but fortunately it didn't make any difference. I was in labor for more than a full day. The doctor was considering the C-section, which would have been fine with me at the time, believe me. But your father had called your grandmother to come be with me because I was in a lot of pain, and Nana knows some techniques to help with that. So she came in and did some sort of mystical healing on me."

"Hmmmph!", snorted Mr. Dr. P, "I still think it was only a lot of mumbo jumbo, and the morphine just kicked in."

Kim's mother smiled and continued, "Whatever she did, I felt much better afterwards, and I was able to hold off long enough to deliver you the natural way, and according to your grandmother at the right time."

"So I think that's the only reason she told me about the 'Prophecy'.", her father said further, "I don't think she would have ever talked about it otherwise, and she never mentioned it again."

"Until she told you that day, Kimmie.", her mother said quietly, "And you know, Nana did predict your abilities and that you would become a world famous teen hero."

"Really?", Kim said, "Then, there must be something to all this."

"So it would seem.", her father continued grudgingly, "As I said, back then I thought it was all a bunch of nonsense myself, and I still do for the most part, although after seeing what you've done over the last several years, I have to agree there might be something to it. But I still just don't know about this whole 'Prophecy' business!"

Kim considered her parents revelations, and said, "Well, I guess I should go and find out what it is she needs me for."

"Yes, I think so. Oh, and Kimmie?", she said.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"I think you should take Ron and Rufus. From the times I've talked to Nana, I always got the impression she thought you three were tied together as a group. Just a hunch."

Kim nodded, "Good idea, Mom. I was thinking of doing it anyway."

* * *

They had been airborne for for many hours, heading for a remote location in the Xinjiang province. It was a long way away from anything remotely resembling civilization. The drone of the helicopter rotors whining through the air had lulled them into a nap during the latter part of the trip. Kim laid her head on a small pillow against the side of the cabin as she slept, Ron snuggled up right beside her. They only awoke when the whining pitch of the rotors starting to scale down, indicating a change in speed and direction as the craft began to descend to a landing. Dressed in mission mode, ready for anything, they looked outside the window to see where they were about to land. They were approaching a tall mountaintop, taller than its nearest neighbors, all of them snow capped. The entire region was filled with these huge craggy tors. It was a majestic sight, the terrain as rugged and hostile as it was beautiful. On the mountaintop they approached, they saw a monastery, its thick off-white walls jutting up into the sky, several buildings within the high stark battlements. Ron wrapped his arms around Kim's waist, holding her tenderly as they looked out upon the incredible vista. They circled in, enjoying the full panorama as the helicopter finally set down in a clearing off to one side of the monastery. The rotors immediately began to slow down.

The helicopter door opened up in the middle of the familiar KP logo painted distinctly on the side of the craft, to let a stark light into the cabin. Kim had to shield her eyes a moment until they adjusted, then descended the short staircase to the ground, followed by Ron. They found themselves faced by a reception committee. Three Chinese monks stood there, all dressed very richly in elegant robes of bright colors. As Ron came up and stood beside her, they bowed very deeply and formally to the two teens. Somewhat awed at their reception, Kim and Ron returned the bow carefully. The lead monk then surprised them when he spoke in perfect, softly accented English.

"We are most pleased, Miss Possible, Mr. Stoppable, to welcome you both here.", he said graciously, "Long have we awaited the Chosen Ones. For more than two thousand years has the Prophecy led our paths, and it is our honor to receive you when the time has come to see it fulfilled."

Kim looked at Ron a moment, asking, "Chosen Ones? Plural?"

"Well, Nana did call me that, and you.", Ron said.

"Huh. Somebody's going to have to explain all of this to me.", she replied with a frown before turning back to the monk, a little miffed Ron hadn't told her before.

She said, "We are honored to be here. Do you know where my grandmother is?"

He smiled, "Yes. She asked that you be taken to her as soon as you arrived. Please follow me."

The three monks led the way off from the clearing as Kim and Ron followed. Rufus stuck his head out of Ron's pocket and looked around, chittering his interest at the surroundings. As they walked, it slowly became apparent that they were not going to the monastery. They did go down the path which led to the road to its main entrance, but then veered off in another direction.

"Uh, sir?", asked Ron, "Where are you taking us?"

Still walking, the lead monk answered, 'The Guardian is this way. It is not far."

"The Guardian?", asked Kim.

The monks stopped, turning to face her.

"Yes, Kim Possible.", said the lead monk, "Your honored grandmother is the Guardian of the Prophecy. She is the one who will insure the consecration of the Chosen One."

Kim stared at him, "You mean me?"

The monk bowed deep as he replied, "So we hope."

He straightened back up and all three turned onto the path once more.

"Great. Just great.", Kim mumbled in irritation as she and Ron followed.

They followed silently after that, although Rufus continued muttering away in pleasure as he looked out from Ron's pocket at all of the beautiful scenery. The monks led the way down the sloping trail and around a bend in the mountain where they came upon a small building. When they came nearer, Kim recognized it as a one room church with a traditional vaulted ceiling and a cross atop it. She could see that it was no longer in use, having been long abandoned, but somebody had gone to the trouble of not letting it go completely to seed. Off to the side, she could see one of the monks tending to the gardens, and another cleaning the walls of the church. The front doors were missing, and as they walked by she could see inside. It was completely bare except for a small wooden cross nailed to the wall that overlooked where the altar had been. The small procession went past the church. Kim looked forward, seeing they were coming to another well tended section of the church grounds, a small cemetery. It was there she saw her grandmother. Her back to them, Nana was kneeling before a cross planted onto a well tended grave, one of a line of graves situated there. She appeared to be praying with a small bible in her hands, the waft of incense coming from a small burner she had placed before her, the smoke slowly curling up into the still air. She did not move until the monks approached her from behind and bowed deeply to her.

"Guardian.", the lead monk said, respectfully, "The Chosen Ones have arrived."

Nana looked up from her prayer to the cross for a moment and closed her bible, putting it away into a pocket and rising gracefully from her kneeling position. Turning, she saw Kim standing there, and smiled hugely. She came up and hugged her granddaughter tenderly, then also greeted Ron the same way.

"Thank you for coming, Kimberly, Ronald.", she said smiling, "This is really important for all of us."

"You know we're glad to come, Nana.", returned Kim happily, "But I'm confused. What's this about?"

"I know it's a little puzzling, dear. But it will soon be clear to you. You've had the dreams, then? You've seen the temple?"

Kim and Ron both gaped in surprise at her.

"How did you know?"

Nana chuckled, "You are not the only one to have such dreams."

"But why? What do they mean?"

"The dreams are a message, Kimberly. They are a call for you to come here to this place, at this time. Had you resisted that, they would have become stronger and stronger until you finally accepted the invitation."

"Why, Sifu?", asked Ron, "Why do they want us to come here?"

Nana smiled again, "I'll explain in time, to both of you. First, Kimberly, I had the monks bring you here because this is a very special place to me."

"Dad told me you were trained in a monastery since you were just a girl. Was it this one?"

"Yes, since I was twelve years old. But it was here that I lived, and was raised during those years. I had a very happy childhood here. As you can see, the church is no longer active, and there used to be living quarters for the staff beyond it that are no longer there. But I wanted you to come and see this.", and she turned to the grave marker.

Kim looked closer and could now see the markings on the cross, gasping loudly as she read it.

_"Timothy James Possible."_

_"1920 - 1992_ "

"Oh my gosh, Nana! Grandpa!", she exclaimed in shock, covering her open mouth with her hand.

"Yes, dear. He had always wanted to be buried out here when his time came."

Kim walked up to the cross and knelt before it in wonder, softly tracing the letters with her hand.

"But why here?", she asked, "I don't understand?"

Her grandmother came up and stood behind her, "Your father didn't tell you, I suppose, but then both my sons were against the idea. Still, they let me take him back here because it was where he wanted to be, at a place that was such an important part of our lives."

"I barely remember him.", she said sadly.

"I know, dear, but you were only three when he passed on."

"But why here, Nana?"

Her grandmother took a deep breath, then answered calmly.

"I've never been one to talk much about my life, Kimberly. There are some parts of it I haven't discussed with your parents and about which they don't know."

"Dad said something like that."

Nana smiled, "Yes. I'm sure both he and Slim suspected. But now I wish to tell you about my past life in this part of the world. It may help you understand why you are here.

"My parents were missionaries here in China, Kimberly. They died rather young in a landslide in these mountains and I was left an orphan. I was adopted by another missionary, a woman who actually ran this church for the friars who conducted the services. She lived in a small house beyond the church. It's no longer there either. The monks have been wonderful in trying to preserve the church and the grounds for me, although there was a bad storm that took the other buildings many years ago and they could not be saved.

"As I said, this woman adopted me. She had a nephew who also lived with her and she raised us together. She always had a good relationship with the monks from the monastery, and they often helped each other out in times of trouble. Unfortunately, once the Chinese government came in during the fifties, this church like all such churches ended up losing their congregations and were shut down. That was shortly after I left here. So you see, when I was your age, I had already lived here a good while with my adoptive mother and her nephew. We were all very happy, and we learned a great many things both here and in the monastery. It was there where both he and I began to train in Kung Fu. Now normally, the monastery would not take in outsiders at all for that, but..."

Kim stood up from her grandfather's grave, repeating, "But...?"

Nana's eyes twinkled with mirth, "One day the abbot saw me watching the monks practicing from behind a tree."

"Behind a tree?"

"Well, I was really good at scaling walls and trees when I was twelve, dear, just like you."

Kim laughed with her, and Nana went on.

"Anyway, they caught me and brought me before the abbot.", she said in amusement, "He had this really mean face and I thought he was going to just toss me out on my back side. But instead, he looked at me really close, like he could see right through me, and then in perfect English asked, 'Would you like to learn what you have seen?'. I was so surprised and excited I nearly peed myself."

They laughed again.

"I said I would." she went on, "But only if Tim could learn too."

Kim gasped again, "That was Grandpa Tim you were raised with?"

"Yes, dear.", Nana replied smiling, her eyes shining at remembering him, but soon she became serious again, "The abbot agreed and thereafter, both Tim and I learned the mystical ways of Peng Lang Chuan Kung Fu. Only later did I discern from the abbot, who became my master, that he had seen I was part of the Prophecy. And so I trained for twelve years, until the time of the Great Trial when I turned twenty-four... ...and I failed."

Kim was totally stunned at these new revelations, studying her grandmother intensely, scrutinizing every word she said. This was a side of the family she had never even dreamed existed and she was enthralled. Her view of her grandmother changed substantially when she learned about her in Florida. But now... ...now she had no idea how to regard this incredible woman without awe. Ron stood behind her, embracing her around the waist and comforting her as Kim was getting emotional at all of these startling new facts. She held onto his hands as she contemplated her grandmother in yet another different light.

"That's what Dad said, Nana.", she replied after a space, "And then he said you told him that the Chosen One wasn't you. It was... ...It was..."

"Yes, Kimberly.", Nana finished for her, " It is you. You are the Chosen One."

"But how? I don't understand. Why me?"

Nana smiled, "Dear, none of us know why it was you, only that you were 'Chosen'. The magic of the Prophecy encompasses a heritage that is more than two thousand years old. The ancient orders of the art which started so long ago when Kung Fu first appeared in this land over twenty six centuries ago developed a powerful mysticism along with their martial traditions and techniques. In time, the energy of the magic was harnessed by the practitioners and became a powerful tool in their quest for enlightenment. Part of that is the power of prophecy, to learn what the future may bring so that the orders would be prepared, either in ensuring it, or to prevent it.

"So it was, the Prophecy came to the order of the Peng Leng Chuan. This order has been entrusted with keeping up with one of its most important tasks, ensuring it will be followed, to search out and find the Chosen Ones as they appeared."

Kim frowned, "Chosen Ones? You mean Ron and me?"

Nana laughed, "Not quite, dear. There have been other Chosen Ones throughout history where the Dragon is concerned."

Kim blinked, perplexed at her words, "Uh... ...Dragon?"

Nana looked at her intently now, emphasizing every word, "Yes, you. You are the Dragon, Kimberly."

Kim suddenly remembered. That was what one of the Yamanuchi ninja leaders said when they lost Ron. "She is blood of the Dragon.", he had said, referring to Jos, of course meaning she herself was the Dragon.

Nana continued, "You are the one who will lead the fight to save the world."

"But I do that already, Nana."

"Yes", she replied, "But against the coming dangers, you will need more. To continue to be able to truly save the world, you must fulfill your destiny. That is why you are here."

Kim was getting dizzy trying to comprehend all of this.

"Okay, Nana. But where does Ron figure in?"

"That is also part of the Prophecy. In Chinese Mysticism, each person's destiny is ruled by three of the great animals. These three beings play an important role in determining the fate of each individual person according to exactly when they were born."

"Uh, Nana.", said Ron, "Isn't that just Chinese astrology?"

"Yes, Ronald.", she replied, "But where the magic of the Prophecy is concerned, it is real and has power."

"So what is my part in all this?"

She took a deep breath, preparing to expound on a different story.

"Ronald, the Prophecy is the one of the Great Dragon Champion who will always be ready to save the world when it is in need. Throughout history, there has been the need for great champions, and the Prophecy exists for that purpose. They have been many, many Chosen Ones who have been born in the year of the Dragon and fulfilled that destiny. They have all come from different parts of the world, and from all walks of life. But the Prophecy has always told of one thing which has never come to pass... ...yet. For the Dragon to save the whole world, in order for the Dragon to truly be effective world wide, the Great Trine must also come to be. Without this, the power of the Dragon is limited. It is the Great Trine which would enable the Dragon to fully succeed everywhere. Many Champions have passed through these walls, but it has not been until now that we have a Chosen One who is now also part of the Great Trine.

"The Great Trine, Nana?", asked Kim.

"Yes, dear.", she replied, her eyes sparkling, "The Dragon..."

"...the Monkey...", she said further as she looked at Ron.

"...and the Rat.", she finished as she smiled and looked down at Rufus.

Ron frowned, "I guess it all goes with the Mystical Monkey Power, huh?"

"Oh yes, Ronald, for your part. And you shall find out more about that as well while you're here."

"Indeed he shall.", said a voice from behind them and they turned to see a very familiar face approaching them.

"Sensei!", cried Ron, "And Yori!"

Following Sensei, the girl smiled broadly and bowed to him as he did to Sensei.

"It is good to see you again, Stoppable-san.", he said bowing, "And Kim Possible as well."

"I, too, am honored.", said Yori.

"Me, too.", replied Kim as she smiled and bowed in return.

"What are you doing here, Sensei?", asked Ron.

"I will represent Tai Shing Pek Kwar in the Great Trial, young one, the Great Trial of the Dragon.", and he looked at Kim when he said that, then looked back to Ron and added, "You shall be part of it."

"The Great Trial?", said Ron, looking at Kim.

"You will see when the time comes, Ronald.", said Nana, then addressed her granddaughter again, "For now, we must return to the monastery and prepare for what comes next. There is much to be done, Kimberly. I have finished my visits here to your grandfather and his aunt, my adoptive mother. Your great, great aunt, by the way."

Kim looked at her again, wondering what that meant, then gasped as it hit her, "Great Aunt Mim!"

Nana smiled, glad she perceived it, then pointed "Yes, dear. That is her, right there, three crosses down."

"Wow! How did she end up out here?"

"That is a story for another day, Kimberly. For now we must go back to the monastery. As Sensei said, the Great Trial is at hand. Tomorrow, we will know if you will succeed... ...or fail."


	25. Chapter 25

The sun had set two hours earlier and the night air was cold. In the small but comfortable room Ron had been given, even the fire that was burning strongly in the copper brazier wasn't quite enough to dispel the chill. There was a lone window near the far corner through which the mountain air would occasionally howl, even after he had shuttered it closed. The cold made the air bite with anticipation, only augmenting the ominous feeling of its lone inhabitant. He tried to keep from being subjugated by the unsettling thoughts that provoked his dread, and to do it he repeatedly attempted to calm himself through meditation. But of course, it always seemed to elude him when he needed it the most.

Ron seated himself quietly in the center of the room, close to the brazier, practicing the discipline and mental control Sensei had taught him, yet to no avail as his mind would not leave off thinking about Kim and then trying to evoke a clue as to what would happen tomorrow. Ever since that epiphany in Japan almost two years earlier, he had practiced his meditation technique regularly, trying to get some sense of how to control the visions. But each time he tried, he could only get small glimpses, unable to grab hold and keep them from breaking up and sliding away to another, barely comprehensible, scene. There were a few times he succeeded in doing that, but even when he succeeded to that degree, most of what he saw still didn't make sense. It was only every now and then something slipped through which he recognized, and still it didn't tell him much of anything. He knew that some of what he saw was from alternate time lines too, and therefore not all that relevant. After some time, he had been able to recognize and separate those visions out from the true time line. But... ...well, Sensei and Nana had warned him about how difficult and frustrating this was going to be, and they could only reassure him that the ability would improve with practice and time, and after a great deal of both. He could only hope they were right.

He kept trying, purely out of lack of anything better to do because he couldn't be where he wanted to be. He so wanted to stay with Kim, but she was taken away by Nana to be presented to the sixteen masters, to start the preparations which would confirm her for the Great Trial, whatever that was. Instead, he was shown to his own private quarters and instructed to rest there, told that he would be called if needed. He tried to sleep, and then tried the meditation, fruitless as it was. Taking a deep breath, he prepared to try again when there was a soft rap on the doorway.

He looked up and said, "Come in."

The curtain that served as the door was pulled back and Sensei and Yori came into the room. Respectfully, Ron rose up and bowed to them. Sensei and Yori returned it.

"How are you, Stoppable-san?", the old master asked gently.

Ron let out a sigh and answered, "Kind of ticked, Sensei. I can't be with Kim and I've been trying to get some notion of what's coming."

"I see.", he replied, "You have been practicing the exercises I suggested for your meditation?"

"Yes, Sensei, but it just isn't working."

"I'm sorry, young one. I know I have said it before, but have patience. It will be some time before it becomes useful. It was so with me as well."

"I know. It's just so... ...so aggravating, you know."

"Yes, I do.", he chuckled, a hint of a smile coming over his face, "Yet I have come now for other matters, one that pertains to tomorrow, and one to the Yamanuchi school. I'll start with the latter first. You may remember that when I first called you to the school long ago as an exchange student, it was because you were chosen to wield the Mystical Monkey Power. It was important for us to see if you were worthy of receiving it, which of course you have proven admirably. Now I tell you the reason why. In time, it would always be the disciple who inherited the Mystical Monkey Power, the Chosen One, to take over as master of the Yamanuchi school."

Ron gawked at Sensei in surprise, "You want me to take over Yamanuchi?"

Sensei smiled wider, "That would be the tradition. However, in your case, it cannot be so."

Ron frowned, "Uh, Sensei, I don't understand."

Sensei continued smiling as he explained, "Ron-San, the Yamanuchi school has a long history of tradition with Tai Shing Pek Kwar. As one of the sixteen great styles of Kung Fu, we share a heritage of rituals, of technique, of mysticism, and of magic with all the styles. The Great Trial is the crucial ritual involving the primary Prophecy, which was entrusted to the Peng Lang Chuan, and is the main event which determined the primary Guardians against evil in the world throughout history. They became the Dragons. Yet all of the sixteen great styles were assigned a part in this great responsibility we have dedicated ourselves to fulfilling, to keep evil from conquering the world. There are the twelve great animal beings which you know only through the information you may have in the so called "Chinese Zodiac". It is far more than that. There are also the four Trines which have all been assigned as responsibilities. Thus, there are sixteen guardianships, one for each great style. The Peng Lang Chuan have the honor and the duty over the Great Trine, perhaps the most important duty of all our responsibilities. Because of this duty they hold, they are isolated and virtually unknown to the rest of the world.

"The Dragon herself is the responsibility of Dragon Style Kung Fu, and it may seem strange that it is the Peng Lang Chuan who test for the Dragon. But that is not actually the case as all five animal styles of Kung Fu, especially the Dragon, are present at all the Great Trials, along with the other styles. It is because of the possibility of the Great Trine that the Trials are held here."

"But, Sensei.", said Ron, "Didn't Nana say that none of the previous Great Trials involved the Great Trine? How does she know that Kim and I are?"

"The Prophecy has indicated so, Ron-San. Moreso, you and Kim Possible have proven it by your actions, by your dedication to each other. In the past, even though the Prophecy did not seem to indicate the existence of the Great Trine, it was still tradition that the Great Trial was held here, just in case they had misinterpreted the sacred verses. Regarding your destiny, you should understand that Tai Shing Pek Kwar is just as important, for we hold the key to locating the Chosen One who shall inherit the Mystical Monkey Power, he who shall advise and support the Great Trine if and when it arises. If the Great Trine is not present, the Chosen One leads Tai Shing Pek Kwar.

"But now, your destiny is tied to the Dragon. As part of the Great Trine of the Prophecy, your place is at her side, not with the school. When my time comes, it shall be Yori here who shall lead Yamanuchi."

Yori gracefully inclined her head to Sensei and to Ron as he spoke and Ron smiled, regarding her with admiration.

"I couldn't think of a better person for the job, Sensei."

She smiled hugely and formally replied, "Thank you, Stoppable-san. Your words are most kind."

"You deserve them.", he replied, "And it's really auspicious. You'll be the first woman to lead Yamanuchi."

"It is a new century.", said Sensei, chuckling again, "We must change with the times."

Ron and Yori laughed softly with him.

"Well, then.", said Ron, "If I am not to be the head of Yamanuchi, I suppose this is mainly about tomorrow."

"Yes, Stoppable-san. Remember that of the Great Trine, only the Monkey is the diplomat. The Dragon and the Rat make great warriors, but are not inclined to discuss or negotiate. That is the strength of the Monkey. It is the Dragon's strength to fight, to prevail, to lead, as is the Rat though more subtly. That is what Kim Possible was born to do. Because of the Great Trine, her Prophecy and yours are intertwined, destined to work together, or fail together. She must carry the fight against evil directly, but it is the Monkey who shall negotiate the most advantageous way, the one who shall give her the tools she will need."

Ron considered this, "You mean, like protecting her back? Creating Team Possible and all of that?"

"Exactly, young one. In so doing, you proved your loyalty to the Dragon, and thus became worthy. And it is a duty to which you must attend throughout the future as she fulfills her own destiny. You must continue to support her, to help her, even to protect her when necessary."

"You know I will, Sensei. I love her."

Sensei smiled widely, slowly nodding, "I do know, Stoppable-san. But I say this to emphasize the importance of the Monkey's purpose in the Great Trine. It is because you must be there when Kim Possible faces the final test."

Ron's eyebrows furrowed hard, trying to understand.

Sensei went on, "You shall accompany me and attend as one of my acolytes. What I wish you to understand is that you must be there to witness the Great Trial. What I have seen in my visions says it must be so."

"So, I have some purpose in being there? Something I have to do?"

"I cannot tell you, for that I do not know. But I must also warn you. None are to interfere with the Great Trial once it is in progress. To do so would provoke the magic of the Prophecy in retaliation, and the offender could suffer greatly, much as Monkey Fist has suffered. Even worse, Kim Possible herself may suffer repercussions from outside interference as well."

This only irked Ron.

"Oh, great! More danger? Sensei, you know I would give anything to protect her, including my life. Why does this keep happening?"

A wise smile on his face, Sensei replied, "It is the life you have chosen, Stoppable-san, that Kim Possible has also chosen, the life of the hero. Danger will always be a constant and frequent companion."

"Does it always have to be so annoying?", he snorted.

Yori and Sensei laughed again, and she slowly shook her head and said, "Always with the American style joking, Stoppable-san."

"Hmmph!", he replied, looking miffed, "Whatever."

"Of your bravery and commitment, I have no doubt, young one.", said Sensei, "But whatever happens tomorrow, do not do anything rash. Be alert, be aware. Except for your Sifu, myself, and a few of the older masters, none here have ever experienced a Great Trial, and history tells us every Great Trial is different. So none of us know for certain what will come to pass. "

Ron grimaced and did not speak for a few moments, taking it all in, then said a little sullenly, "I understand, Sensei. I'll be there."

"Good.", he replied with a nod, "One of the students here will come by with the uniform you should wear, and then he will lead you to the Great Hall where the Trial will be done."

"I'll be ready."

The old master nodded again, and then turned to leave.

"Come, Yori. We must go."

"In a moment, master.", she replied.

He looked back over his shoulder at her for a moment then proceeded on out through the curtain.

She looked back at Ron and smiled, happy to see him again.

"Congratulations.", Ron said, "You'll make a great teacher for the school."

She giggled slightly at that, "Thank you very much, Stoppable-san!"

"Ron!", he replied, "Come on, Yori. We've known each other long enough we don't have to be so formal. Call me Ron."

She looked at Ron, a smile still on her lips as she said, "I would like that... ...Ron. What I wanted to do, is to say, I wished to tell you I will pray for your success tomorrow, both for you and Kim Possible."

His face relaxing into a grin, he said, 'Thanks, Yori. I appreciate that. And I want you to know how glad I am for you, to know Yamanuchi will be in good hands."

She giggled again, replying, "Thank you, Ron. We will miss you, and have missed you."

"You mean, you missed me.", he said with a smirk.

She blushed as she replied, "I have missed you. But I did not feel it proper to say anything, so personal, as you and Kim Possible are destined to be together."

Ron smiled at her, then reached out and took her hands in his.

"It's okay, Yori. I'm sorry I didn't really see it at first, but I'm really honored that you feel that way, and it's not like I didn't think about it. I mean, I think you're a great girl and anybody would be lucky to be with you. I just hope that you're not too bummed out that I can't... ...you know."

Still smiled wider, even as her words became solemn, "Do not worry, Ron-San. As I told you before, you and Kim Possible belong together. I would not interfere. Truly, I am very happy for you."

He nodded, "I understand, Yori. Thanks, a lot."

"You are most welcome.", she replied, "But I do hope you shall visit us more often."

He chuckled, "You can count on it."

A content look on her face, she leaned in, softly kissed him on the cheek, and turned to go. But before she could, Ron drew her into a warm and tender hug, holding her close, and she held on to him just as warmly.

"You will always be my friend, Yori.", he murmured.

"As you are to me also, Ron.", she replied softly.

He pulled back, kissing her softly on the cheek as she had done to him.

Assuming a serious tone he faced her formally and said, "It is my honor, my great honor, to have you as my friend."

He formally bowed to her, a bow which was returned just as ceremoniously.

"As it is mine to be the friend of the Chosen One.", she replied proudly.

She smiled broadly again as she glided out the doorway to rejoin Sensei.

Ron stood there, lost in thought. He really was very happy for Yori and her eventual succession as the master at Yamanuchi, and truly hoped one day she would be as lucky as he was with Kim. But that only brought his thoughts back to his lifelong best friend, the girl he adored, and his mind began to fret again in concern for her. He couldn't get her out of his mind and trying to meditate wasn't working. He realized what he had to do.

"I really need to see Kim.", he said to himself, and left the room in search of her.

* * *

The room was very dim with only the illumination of a single candle providing any visibility at all. The window was shuttered against the wind, moaning outside in protest as if complaining, agitating for someone to let it into the room. It was only slightly chilly as heated air flowed gently through vents in the ceiling. But not even the cold night air unabated would move the lone figure sitting on the floor, still as stone, looking more like a vaguely dark blot against the wall in the inconstant glow. The flickering of the flame threw capricious shadows all over her, fickle lights that flashed briefly upon the red of her hair lending it to shades of brown, auburn, yellow, even a burnt orange at times, briefly appearing like ghosts and then disappearing just as quickly. Her face was still, the skin at time flashing with tones of sepia, pink, tan, rose, and all the shades between. The emerald eyes sparkled continuously, even downcast as they were on the floor, never wavering from the one spot they had fixed themselves. However, her mind was not focusing on the floor tiles that filled her sight.

In the wan luminescence of the chamber, she remained motionless, thoughts furiously racing through her head as she tried to understand what had just happened this night. She had met with the masters of the sixteen styles. Each had questions that she answered as best she could. Some of them made sense. Some did not. Some asked her to demonstrate her technique, which she did admirably, and some masters were surprised at her skill. One master stood and asked her to attack him. She complied, but failed to successfully make the strike. Yet he too was shaken, because he failed to counter it and throw her to the floor as he had planned. The contest was a draw. When he was finished, he nodded curtly to her, his respect for her technique clearly given. And it went on.

She stood in front of them for several hours, obeying every request, exhibiting her knowledge and skill. It was very tiring, stressful, and confusing. When the ordeal finally ended, the masters appeared to be as stern and unsmiling as when she first entered the room, all except Sensei. He was the only one with a kind face, and he had no questions to ask her. She was exhausted. She hadn't worked out this hard in a long time, and thought ironically that trying out for cheer squad in front of Bonnie and the other girls in ninth grade wasn't near this bad. Throughout it all, Nana stood to one side, her face a mask of non-emotion, never once intervening. It ended as it had started, with Kim standing in the center, all eyes on her. The master of Dragon Kung Fu stood up and eyed her mercilessly, then turned his attention to Nana. From what Nana had told her, he was one of the few who had witnessed the last Great Trial.

"You have ascertained her worthiness?", he asked the Guardian.

Nana slowly nodded, "As stated by the Prophecy, she fulfills all the criteria. You have seen for yourself now. She is the Chosen One. Only the Chosen One has the skill she has shown."

"Yet in the last Great Trial, that candidate, who was just as capable, was not the Chosen One despite the agreement by the masters that she was."

Nana stared him down, knowing full well the master challenged the legitimacy of her role as the Guardian, questioning the validity of her granddaughter of being the Dragon.

"And have we not studied the ancient texts?", she riposted, "The last candidate failed through no fault of her own, but through the misinterpretation of the masters themselves. And even that was purposed by the Prophecy! Did you not assess her yourself two years ago through your own agent?"

The Dragon style master frowned, taken to task. This he could not refute...

"Yes! Yes!", he replied impatiently, "Hirotaka confirmed she was skilled in all the styles, even the Mantis!"

Kim mentally gasped. Hirotaka was the exchange student from Japan who traded places with Ron the first time he went to the Yamanuchi school. So that was why Hirotaka asked her to show him her Praying Mantis style! He clearly must have started his training in Dragon style, though she knew he was master of many others too.

"So be it!", Nana replied, "You have all ascertained the meaning of the Prophecy and the scrolls in regards to this one before you! So if the present candidate is not the Chosen One, let the fault fall on the masters who have certified she has fulfilled it!... ...or upon those masters who fail to recognize the true Dragon of our time."

The Dragon style master narrowed his eyes at her. He had been the most vocal in his objections and concerns regarding Kim as their responsibility was for the Dragon, and they did not wish a repeat of the last Great Trial. But even he had to concede now that the Prophecy and the interpretation of the texts clearly pointed to her. Slowly he lowered his eyes before Nana's unwavering gaze.

"Very well.", he said, reluctantly, "Let the Great Trial prove her worthiness."

It was done. The masters rose slowly and filed out of the room to retire to their respective quarters. None of them looked at her save Sensei, who smiled briefly as he walked past, trying to boost her spirit a little as he left. Kim was just glad to get it all over with so she could go back to her own room. After they were gone, Nana smiled.

"That went better than I expected."

Eyebrows raised, Kim blurted softly, "No way!"

"Way. That is the proper reply, yes?", said Nana, grinning, "Anyway, they tested you harder than they did me."

Kim looked at her, slack-jawed and speechless as Nana escorted her back to her room in silence and left her at the door, smiling once more as she took her leave and suggesting Kim get as much rest as she could. Kim wanted to, but when she went inside, she found her worry wouldn't let her. She sat down, trying to relax before getting some sleep.

But she couldn't let go of the tension. She tried to get her mind clear, and failed. It was all just too much for her to absorb all at once. She remained there, on the floor, thinking it through when a small noise came from the doorway, followed by a light knock and a hesitant voice.

"Kim?"

She looked up and rose as Ron came into the room.

Aching for his embrace, she went to him as she said, "Hold me, Ron."

He gathered her into his arms, trying to comfort her with every part of his body as she held on tenaciously. He stroked her hair as she buried her face into the base of his neck.

"Are you all right?", he asked.

"I'm not sure.", she whispered, "I'm really getting overwhelmed by all this."

"What can I do to help, Kim?"

"I don't know, Ron. Right now, just hold me, please."

He did that, giving her as much reassurance as he could, continuing to softly caress her as they stood there. She did not speak for several minutes. But Ron knew she was deep in thought, wanting to know, hoping he could help her.

"Ron?", she said softly, "Am I that important?"

Letting go of her, he gently held her by her arms before him, looking deep in her eyes.

"Of course you are, Kim." he whispered, "You're the most important person in my life."

She smiled briefly.

"Thanks, BF, but that's not exactly what I meant.", she replied, "No. I mean, am I that important in the scheme of things. Am I that important to the world?"

Ron gazed steadily at her, his look without a shred of doubt.

"Yes. You. Are.", he said as seriously as he had ever said anything in his life, "You're Kim Possible. You're the girl who can do anything. You save the world almost on a daily basis. I think that qualifies as being that important to the world."

"Well, yes. But whatever is going on here seems so much more ominous, so much more than that."

"Yeah.", he replied, looking off in the distance a moment before gazing back at her, "I can't help feeling it is, too. But I also feel somehow that you need to do this. It's like... ...it's like there's a part of your soul here, and you need to find it."

She looked steadily at him, reaching up and holding onto his arms as he held hers, her eyes shining in the candlelight, "You're right. I feel it, too. And yet, it scares me."

He grinned and replied, "As long as I'm here, Kim, there is nothing you have to be scared of. I promise you, nothing will get to you while I've got your back."

She smiled, nodding, "I know, lover boy, and I can't tell you how much that means to me."

He smiled wider, replying, "I can think of a way.", and he bent his head down and kissed her softly.

She put her arms around him and returned the kiss intensely. In time she pulled back, her eyes shining even brighter than before.

"I so love you, Ron.", she whispered contentedly.

"Right back at you, K.P.", he whispered back, grinning.

"As it should be.", said a voice quietly from the doorway.

They both turned their heads and saw Nana smiling at them from the doorway. She had changed to a simple robe from the more elegant ones she had worn earlier at the presentation. Under her arm was a small bundle wrapped in plain brown paper, tied together with twine. She approached them in a slow walk.

"Nana?", Kim said finally after several moments.

"Dear, I know this must be very disconcerting to you. I could feel it even when I had returned to my rooms. So I wanted to come back to explain more about why you are here, to better settle your fears. And I am glad Ronald is here too. It makes the explanation easier. What troubles you?"

"Well, Nana. It's just that... ...I'm not so sure about all this."

"What can I tell you?"

"It's, uhh, I mean, you tell me that I'm the Chosen One, the Dragon. I don't know. It's like all of a sudden I'm supposed to be this great hero who everybody's been waiting for to come save the world or something."

"But you said it yourself. You do save the world."

"Yeah, Nana, I do. I understand that. I understand that I'm Kim Possible, the girl who can do anything. And I do like saving the world. At the same time, I'm just a teenage girl who has a boyfriend, wants to go to college and graduate, do a job I really like, you know."

She looked back at Ron and smiled, adding, "And, you know, get married and have kids."

The look Ron gave her thrilled her to her soul.

She sighed and looked back at her grandmother, "I wonder about being able to do it all, to 'be all that'."

Ron looked at her with a worried frown, "Kim? Are you still...?"

Kim chuckled and interrupted him by softly putting her index finger on his lips embracing him with her other arm. Serenely she shook her head.

"No, Ron.", she whispered, the joy in her heart shining through her words, "I'm fine. I know I can do it. I was so lost after Eric. I had lost my way, but you believed in me so much. You led me out of that darkness, back to the light. You showed me again I could be what I know I can be, with no more doubts, no more worries. You made sure I did."

She reached up and kissed him lightly on the mouth before turning to her grandmother again.

"Nana.", she asked seriously, "It's just that there seems to be so much more responsibility with this. Is it that important for me to go through with it? Am I really, really the Chosen One?"

Her grandmother gazed steadily at her in the dim light for a moment, saying nothing at first. Then she let out a deep slow breath, and spoke softly.

"Kimberly, I can't promise you anything. But I will say this. If you wanted, you could walk out of here tomorrow and decline to go through the Trial. You won't be bothered by the dreams any more."

"But the Prophecy..."

"If it happens, then the masters must study the ancient texts once more, for it will mean we misinterpreted them. Although that is a rare event, it has occurred."

"Like it did with you."

"Yes. As it did with me. But I want you to know that I fully believe in my heart that you are the Chosen One. I've waited my whole life to see this through. And I have no doubt in my mind you will succeed. And as to how it will affect your life? That, I cannot tell you. Every Great Trial has been different. Exactly what happens there or afterwards cannot be predicted. That is why each candidate is always given the choice to become the Dragon of her time. And it will continue until the Great Dragon herself comes."

Kim looked at her questioningly, "Huh? The Great Dragon?"

"Yes, the ultimate Champion, the one who will save the world so that there will be no future need for Champions."

"You said 'her'. It will be a woman?"

Nana laughed, "Dear! All of the Dragons are women!"

Kim's eyebrows raised up in surprise. She exclaimed, "Really?"

Still mirthful, Nana said, "Yes! But to get back to your concerns, dear. It's your choice. However you have to understand something. Your abilities were given to you by the magic of the Prophecy. It's why you can jump higher, hit harder, and climb faster than anybody else. It's why you have mastered sixteen styles of Kung Fu by the time you were sixteen years old. It is why you can defeat super villains and still be the head cheerleader at your high school. You have the choice to refuse the Great Trial if that is what you want. But then, you would lose all that, because the magic will then be transferred to the next Dragon. There can be only one.

"But this is the most crucial thing. No Dragon in the history of the Prophecy has been able to achieve the Great Trine, not until you. You have gained unity with your inner animal forms within and without. Because of that, if you succeed in the Great Trial, you can look forward to a greater destiny than you can imagine."

Her face resplendent with reverence in the candlelight, Kim asked, "What does that mean, Nana?"

Her grandmother smiled and shook her head, "I cannot tell you, Kimberly. It is the Great Trial that will let you know that. What I can tell you is why I believe you will succeed."

Kim's eyes squinted slightly at the question, "Yes, Nana?"

She looked back and forth between Ron and Kim.

"Dear.", she said, "During the time I spent here as a young girl, I made it my primary purpose to learn about the Dragons that have passed before you. I spent long hours studying the ancient scrolls here. They were all great women in many ways, powerful, skilled in warfare, intelligent in diplomacy, beautiful in form, generous in nature, and talented in wit and the arts. But none of them had what you and Ronald have, a love that transcends all those skills."

Wide eyed, Ron and Kim glanced at each other a moment, then back at Nana as she reached down and took a hand from each of them in hers before continuing.

"There is no greater love that one human being can have for another than the love between a man and a woman. And what you two share is as great a love as has ever been seen in the world."

"But Nana! You and Grandpa!"

She chuckled, "Yes, Kimberly, your grandfather and I shared a love that great, and the masters thought I was the next Dragon in part because of it, yet I still failed the Great Trial because I did not achieve union with my other animal forms, the ones that make up the Great Trine. Thus, I was not the true Chosen One. But I have no regrets. I feel that because of the love your grandfather and I had, I was given the greater honor of becoming the Guardian to the one Dragon who would be part of the Great Trine... ...my granddaughter."

Kim gazed at her in awe as her grandmother smiled proudly.

"I know you, Kimberly Ann Possible. I know what you can do, and I know deep in my soul that you were meant for this."

Her granddaughter's face was slowly overtaken by a smile, her eyes narrowing slightly in pride, and Nana could see the confidence returning to her face.

"So I have to ask you.", she continued, "Do you really want to save the world? Do you want it bad enough to do what it takes?"

Kim looked at her grandmother steadily, the shadows from the candlelight still playing off her face. The highlights flickered in her eyes showing her burning determination and desire, and her grandmother saw them transform. She could see the aching, a longing, a conviction of principle and purpose of such ferocity, one she knew all too well herself. She understood clearly there was now no doubt whatsoever in her granddaughter's mind.

"I do want it, Nana.", Kim whispered, "I want it."

Nana smiled, "All you have to do then is take it. Claim your destiny at the Great Trial."

"I will, Nana. I'll be ready."

Nana smiled broadly, her pleasure and pride clearly evident.

"Then,", she said, "there is only one thing left for me to give you."

She took the bundle out from under her arm and gave it to Kim. Wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with twine, there was, on closer inspection, something made of cloth that was inside the wrapping. Kim took the bundle, pulled on the twine, and untied it, unfolding the paper from it. She saw what lay underneath and gasped softly.

It was a traditional Kung Fu uniform, sleek, smooth, made of an incredibly soft silk. It was gleaming black in color with white trim, the ties buttoning up the front. Kim gazed at it, admiring the workmanship. Embossed into the fabric were the forms of dragons in different positions, crouching, flying, rampaging, and in other formations. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of clothing Kim had ever seen.

She slowly caressed the silk and said, "Oh my gosh, Nana! This is so incredible!"

"I want you to wear it tomorrow, Kimberly. I would consider it an honor."

"Oh, Nana, you know I will! But where did you get it? I recognize this silk! It's some of the rarest you can get!"

Her grandmother smiled, "It was the one I wore at my Great Trial, Dear. I would like to see it worn by the true Chosen One."

Kim looked up at her grandmother, tears now falling, then reached out and embraced her, holding her like that for a long time.

"It will be my honor to wear it, Nana.", she said softly, "Thank you. Thank you so much for everything."

Nana chuckled softly again, kissing Kim on the cheek. Then she reached over and kissed Ron on his cheek before smiling and saying, "Then I'll leave you to get some rest. You will be called tomorrow morning for the Trial. Don't worry about anything. Put the Trial out of your mind until it is time. I will see you then. Good night."

She turned and left the room as Ron and Kim watched her go. She looked at the black silk uniform in her hands, shaking her head in awe at such a wonderful gift.

"Oh my gosh, Ron! This... ...this is so incredible!", she whispered, "I am so lucky to have her, and I didn't even know!"

"Me, too.", he replied, watching her carefully handle the uniform, "She's really been great for me, you know."

He watched her for a moment as she laid the uniform up against her front, seeing how well it fit her. She yawned slightly as she continued to admire it, and he thought about her needing her rest.

He said, "Well, I guess I should get back to my room so we can both get some sleep."

He moved to leave when Kim suddenly turned to him and whispered, "Ron."

"Yes, Kim.", he said, stopping and facing her.

"Please, don't go. Stay with me. I would really feel better if you would just hold me again."

Ron smiled and came to her, embracing and kissing her once more. Afterwards, she carefully re-wrapped the uniform in the brown paper and he took her hand and led her to the bed. They lay down and he pulled the blanket over them as she lay on her side, Ron snuggling up behind and putting his arms around her, laying his head next to hers on the small pillow and pulling her in close to him. She held onto his hand with hers, bringing it up and kissing it as he softly nuzzled her neck. They made themselves comfortable in that close embrace.

After a moment, Ron said, "Kim, you meant what you said, didn't you?"

She had to think a moment about that, but smiled when she realized it was when she spoke about marriage and kids.

"Yes, Ron, I meant it."

"So, you just asked me to marry you, didn't you?"

"Yes, Ron, I did."

"Good.", he sighed in relief, "Because when I propose to you formally in front of your family, I just want to make sure you'll say yes, you know."

Kim giggled softly, "Just make sure you have the ring. Mom won't be pleased if you don't."

"Riiiight."

They both laughed in the low light of the candle. Then he held and kissed her until they blissfully sank into a restful sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Kim stood silently at the center of the great hall of the monastery, quietly going over everything Nana had explained to her just before she was led into the huge chamber. Tenderly she fingered the fabric of the black silk she wore, smiling. Somehow, it fit her perfectly. As she smoothed it out, she looked around, noting that all of the masters had now filled the hall. All sixteen of them were here, each attended by one or two senior acolytes. Silently, they had come into the great hall and stood at the end with the doorways into it. They gazed at her solemnly as the Guardian entered, the last to do so, taking her place at the center of the line. The chamber was then sealed from the inside. For some time she gazed at Kim much as the others did, her face a stone blank like theirs. She looked to one side at a monk, the same one who had greeted Kim and Ron when they first arrived, and nodded sharply. He came up and joined her, standing slightly behind her as she again gazed at her granddaughter. Then he formally stepped forward and began to chant.

The ceremony began with the invocation of the spirits of the mountain, the first ceremony of the Great Trial for which the masters had to be gathered. While the monk droned his gentle prayer, the masters and acolytes bowed their heads. Kim continued to stand silently at attention, studying them. There were the Shaolin and the Wing Chun, the Wu Shu and the Tai Chi Chuan next to them, and the Tai Shing Pek Kwar. Kim saw Sensei was there, dressed formally in traditional robes, and Yori and Ron stood just behind him also in traditional dress. She thought how particularly handsome Ron looked in a dark blue uniform similar in cut to hers. Rufus was there, too, standing on his shoulder. There was one difference between his uniform and hers, which was that there were small monkey silhouettes worked into the fabric of the blue silk. Yori wore the same uniform with the same monkey symbols, only in red. Kim gazed down at her own, still admiring the dragon motifs worked into the fabric.

She looked to the other masters gathered in a semi-circle before her. There were the Drunken Boxing style, Eagle Claw, Five Animals, Hsing I, Praying Mantis, Fujian White Crane, Wing Chun, Bagua Zhang, the Sanshou, the Tien Shan Pai, and the Ying Jow Pai. From the south were the Hung Gar and Lau Gar families and their styles. And at the head of the room, in the center of the semi-circular arc stood Nana. Kim regarded her grandmother there, acting as the Guardian of the Prophecy here, she who had protected and nurtured the Dragon until the Dragon was ready to assume her role.

The room filled with the incense from several burners as the monk droned on with his prayers and incantations. A soft drumbeat slowly boomed through the air, as it had for several hours now, sounding out the excitement of this moment, one that had not been experienced in fifty-four years, signaling the beginning of a ritual whose origin was rooted in history more than two millennia ago. Eventually, the chant was taken up by several of the monks, droning in response to the drumbeats.

Dressed in the golden robes of her office, Nana's face was solemn and attentive as she watched her granddaughter. She had already informed Kim exactly how the ceremony would be conducted, and what to expect, but only up to the point of the testing itself. That was the final part of the Great Trial, the one part Nana could not predict for her. She only could tell her to prepare for combat, to be ready to prove her skills, her resolve, her heart, and her soul. She continued to look upon her granddaughter, standing tall, her young features and her stance full of confidence, her brilliant red hair flowing down her back, and the feeling of pride that ran though the older woman almost brought her to tears, and she remembered so acutely how it was when it was her standing there instead so many years ago. But now, it was time for Kim to claim her heritage.

The chanting and drumbeats suddenly stopped. Nana raised her arms, commanding silence from all.

"The Great Trial is called!", she began, intoning the beginning of the ancient rite, "The Dragon has come to prove her worth! Let the Prophecy be read!"

The monk who had started the chanting unrolled an ancient scroll. He held it firmly before him and slowly intoned a long series of phrases in the Mandarin language. When he finished, he re-rolled the scroll and held it before him as he translated what he had just recited.

_Born in the year of the dragon under the month of the rat, shall come she whose time will ring with the dragon's wars._

_Born in the year of the dragon at the hour of the monkey, shall come she who shall thwart all evil._

_Born in the year of the dragon and of the earth shall come she whose soul shall be the monkey and whose friend shall be the rat._

_Born in the year of the dragon enveloped in fire and full knowledge from birth shall come she of the great Trine, and all three shall save the world._

The words echoed throughout the Great Hall. During the intonation of the Prophecy, Nana looked straight at Kim with the face of a Kung Fu master, solid and steady. Kim met them, their eyes never wavering from each other. But as the Prophecy was read, which Kim knew was the last act to be done before the crucial battle, Nana looked at her as a grandmother, her features softening into the love she held for her granddaughter, smiling once more. She nodded slightly and Kim nodded back at her, returning that confident smile. Too soon, the drumming and the chant started up again, and Nana's visage changed back to the cool stone face of the Guardian. Immediately, she yelled "Hai!", clapping her hands once, and the smoke of the incense began to whirl around Kim as she quickly assumed a defensive stance.

A roar began to fill the hall and the smoke of the incense gathered in front of Kim between her and the masters. The masters retreated to the distant walls, almost disappearing within the smoke, out of view, clearing the vast center of the chamber for its purpose. It was like there was nobody there except for Kim, and whatever she would have to face. Slowly the gritty smoke began to take a form, coagulating into a large threatening shape. A roar broke through the air of the Great Hall. It was the Tiger. Challenge shined from its eyes as it roared again. Almost surprising her, it tensed up and pounced quickly. Kim swiftly jumped out of the way, assuming a Mantis style form as the Tiger slashed repeatedly at her with its paws. Nimbly, Kim kept batting them out of the way as the Tiger advanced, still roaring its frustration. Then it bunched up and sprang fully at her. Kim jumped once more and came down on its back, striking with both feet directly into its chi. The smoke suddenly dissolved away and began to whirl again. Yet the roaring did not go away. The smoke coalesced once more, and the Tiger reappeared. But it was not alone for the Dragon stood beside it.

Nana frowned as she saw this, quickly glancing at Sensei who was standing beside her. He stared back at her with widened eyes, acknowledging this unusual occurrence. Both were completely familiar with the histories of the Great Trials. The other masters started to murmur in worry among themselves. This had never happened before. All candidates who went through the Great Trial faced their adversaries individually, unless they had already failed, or were not the true candidates. Never had a successful candidate faced multiple opponents. Kim circled around, continuously moving, trying to keep the Tiger between her and the Dragon, her goal to keep them from attacking simultaneously. The Dragon quickly countered by flying up and attacking from the air, quickly followed by the Tiger on the ground. Leaping to avoid the strikes, she countered with a turning back kick to the Dragon's head, but it managed to rear back and snap at her. She blocked that as she landed, preparing to move again as the animal forms tensed their bodies to strike again. She feinted to one side as they did, quickly moving to the other, and succeeded in drawing the Dragon out of position. She delivered a killing blow to its abdomen directly into its chi, dispelling the form into amorphous smoke again. She hit the sand on both feet, breathing hard as the Tiger withdrew to one side, snarling at her and pawing the ground. The smoke from the Dragon began to coalesce again beside its ally and reformed again into the same shape, unhurt, again dangerous... ...and beside it was the Snake. This new threat raised up and flared the hood of a cobra, hissing loudly and tasting the air with its tongue, poison seemingly dripping from its smoky fangs. All three charged. Moving rapidly, Kim slipped the strike of the fangs of the Snake, succeeding in bringing the Snake's head between her and the Dragon, keeping it from biting her, but the Tiger had a clear shot and managed to bat her away with a slash of its paw. Kim grunted in response as she landed hard, the talons of the Tiger having slashed open her back with bleeding gashes. Grimacing in pain, she jumped back up as quickly as she could, knowing she was still in danger, and barely escaped being bitten by the Dragon.

"KIM!", yelled Ron, as he took a step forward, only to be held back by Sensei.

"Do not move, Ron-San!", he cried.

"But! This isn't right!"

"You could doom her forever if you interfere!"

Frozen by fear, Ron could only look on as a fresh howl filled the room. A short lull overtook the room as the three animals gathered and prepared to strike once more. The Tiger appeared to have suffered a wound from a skillful riposte that Kim inflicted upon it, but the smoke that made up the broken leg simply dissolved and reappeared, reforming the limb whole and hardy. The residual smoke from the broken limb pulled away a short distance and gelled into yet another form, the Dog. But this Dog looked more like a rabid wolf. The air suddenly moved as the sound of a brisk wind began to come out of nowhere. A breeze began to move through Kim's hair, and she could feel it, but strangely it did not seem to affect the incense smoke in any way. Now there were four animals facing Kim as she stared wide eyed and panting, her hair blowing in a stiffening gale as she tried to figure out what it took to beat these fearsome opponents. Again, they all charged, and she jumped and careened around the great hall in an incredible display of gymnastics even she had rarely achieved, barely escaping their strikes. Trying to gauge her jumps just right, she would always head in a direction that would make her enemies practically run over each other when they tried to change direction to go after her. This way she could limit the simultaneous attacks on her to no more than two at a time, yet it severely inhibited her from inflicting any counterattacks. She began to wonder if it would do any good to even try. But then she had a stroke of luck as the Dragon again tried to bite her and overextended its neck. The Snake was trapped beneath it as the two great creatures collided, and as Kim jumped out of the way, she changed her jump enough to land on the cobra's belly and kick it into oblivion, disrupting it back into smoke.

Howling and roaring in anger, the other animals pulled back and waited as the smoke of the Snake whirled around. Like before, it coalesced into the Snake again, and into something else as well. Only this time, there were two more. Now the Rat and the Monkey were in play. Kim wondered about this. Both animals appeared to be just as threatening as the others, yet, there was something different about them...

Suddenly all six animals seemed to attack. Indeed, four of them did so aggressively, but the Monkey and the Rat seemed to lag behind. Incredibly, Kim Possible moved like a whirlwind, standing her ground and repelling every attack from the first four opponents; The Dragon, the Tiger, the Dog, and Snake. In machine gun tempo, they assailed her as she stood her ground, but for some reason the Monkey and Rat still held back. As she continued to defend herself against the others, she wondered why they hesitated. She kept thinking about what Nana had said...

_"I still failed the Great Trial because I did not achieve union with my other animal forms, the ones that make up the Great Trine..."_

'If I am the dragon, I have to unite with them.', she thought, 'I cannot fight them...'

Suddenly, the Monkey and Rat both screeched and jumped in for an assault. She prepared to defend herself...

And then Kim Possible did not defend. She stood up straight, arms to her sides, just as the Monkey landed right in front of her, a palm strike delivered to her chest, yet stopped an inch away. The Rat was on his shoulder ready to bite. Kim looked at them both, thinking just then how the Monkey's face reminded her so much of Ron. The other four animals broke off their attack and howled and roared, circling her in anticipation of another strike, but for the moment, there were only Kim and the Monkey made of smoke facing each other, the Rat with them joined in this strange communion. Kim smiled as she bowed her head slightly to them, then resumed a defensive stance, facing the other animals, not the two with her. The monkey seemed to smile as well, and the rat chittered softly, and suddenly their near insubstantial forms dissolved away and infused directly into her body. Kim gasped as she felt a new influx of energy and feeling, a power she had never truly known before, a solidity and sense of purpose which finally completed her. She was more powerful, more aware, more in control...

But before she could react further, the other four animals again attacked, and again she rose to the test as she evaded the Tiger and Dragon, the Dog completely missing its attack, forcing the Snake to try a dangerous strike of which Kim took advantage, striking the serpent again into oblivion and swirling smoke. The other three animals again withdrew to re-marshal their forces as the smoke from the Snake reformed itself again into her adversary, looking no less injured than before. But not all the smoke went into the Snake, and more opponents appeared.

Now she faced the Ox and the Ram as well as the other four animals. Both newcomers had eyes of rage, glowing red. They charged her first, and Kim was forced to leap backwards to keep from being bludgeoned into mincemeat. Following their strike, the other animals attacked from above and she was forced to spend more time higher up in the air than they were, her newfound energy and control letting her keep completely away from the latest two combatants now racing around the ground area waiting for an opportunity to run her down if she landed again. She managed to keep clear of them all, but finally the Tiger again swiped at her in mid-air during one of its jumping attacks and she was caught by a left fore paw, slashing her right side open, ruining the silk and soaking it in blood. Kim screamed in pain as she landed on her knees and the Ram took advantage, pawing the ground and charging once more, closely followed by the others. Ron yelped as he saw all six of the great animals descend upon Kim. The wind was getting stronger, starting to whip her hair around her. She looked up, her eyes red with anger and screaming bloody defiance as she unexpectedly leaped right at the ethereal creatures threatening her, catching them unaware. Striking with a flying side kick, she pierced the forehead of the Ram directly between its eyes, hearing it bleat a squeal of agony as it disappeared. She immediately landed and jumped again just as the Ox passed underneath. Executing a downward ax kick, she bisected the beast and it bawled its displeasure as it also dissolved away. Taken by surprise, the Tiger had overstepped its charge and slashed harmlessly beyond her. Kim struck upward with a spear hand into its belly and watched it cry out with a yowl, blowing away into formlessness. The Snake struck the ground head first where she stood, trying to take advantage of her dealing with the first three combatants, but found only dirt in its mouth as she immediately jumped up again. Before it could coil up, Kim came out of nowhere straight down onto its head, smashing it into dust and incense.

The air filled with the sounds of a thousand voices now, almost deafening everyone there as the Dragon and the Dog withdrew yet again to regroup, waiting on the other animals to reappear. Kim slowly scrambled up holding her side tightly with her left hand, breathing hard, the blood dripping between her fingers, her face fixed in a grimace of pain as she warily eyed her adversaries. Then the smoke changed. It began to whirl around in a dizzying display of smoke and light, a luminescence beginning to play off of it. Faster and faster it whirled around the chamber until it was blowing hard enough to make it difficult for even for her to stand. Amidst the wind, she could see the animals reform.

And this time there were ten. All the great animal forms were there, save the Rat and the Monkey. But ten were more than enough. In shock, Kim gazed wide eyed at the overwhelming force facing her. Gale force winds tore through the chamber as the ten animals charged her once more. Somehow, reaching deep within her, tapping her newfound power, she jumped out of the way yet again, only to be caught and suspended in the sudden storm that appeared out of nothing, the wind screaming above. Grunting in surprise, she was slammed back down against the far wall and held there by invisible hands as all the great creatures coiled and reared to strike.

"Why!", she thought, "Why am I caught like this? Am I supposed to fail? Like Nana?"

The ten great animals slowly approached her, baring fang, claw, talon, teeth, preparing to fly and pounce into a final attack, and throughout all this Ron watched with growing trepidation, his fears rising, trying to stay still, to not interfere.

And he could not hold it in any more.

"Sensei!" he shouted suddenly, "This is sick and wrong!"

He started to move forward.

"Ron-San! You cannot!"

Sensei moved to intercept him, but Ron easily evaded the old master and leaped into the arena, heading straight for Kim as he yelled.

_"Nooooooo!"_

The animals leaped.

Sensei stared in dismay at first, then was awed as Ron's form suddenly gleamed with blue light. His body was surrounded by the aura of the Mystical Monkey Power as he seemed explode from the ground, soaring towards Kim. Screaming, Ron charged into the maelstrom, lunging straight at her, managing to get in front of the charging animals, to put himself in between her and them. The roar of the animal voices rose to a piercing level that hurt everyone's ears. Ron flew up and reached Kim, just before the attacking beasts got to her, and then the lights of the storm flashed brighter until it hid all from view of the witnesses, forcing them to cover their eyes. As he shielded her with his body, the great beasts crashed into them, the exploding light blinding all by flashing to a searing brilliance that was greater than the sun. The storm exploded. A shattering boom echoed through the Great Hall, blowing all of the masters and their acolytes back against the front wall of the chamber from the force of the blast.

Then... ...no sound, no light, just empty darkness. Stunned, everyone slowly picked themselves back up and stared. Nothing was left. The Great Hall was empty. There was no incense, no smoke, no braziers, and no sign of Ron or Kim.

Frozen in shock, the sixteen masters and their acolytes looked out upon the empty room. There was no sound for several moments. Nana's face was grimaced in pain, not understanding what had happened, her eyes open wide in terror. Sensei looked almost catatonic. It was Yori who first spoke.

"Master. What happened?", she said almost inaudibly, "Where are they?

"'No...", he muttered, "No... ...this has never happened before."

"But, but what?", she stuttered.

He turned startled eyes to her, "Ron -San violated the sanctity of the Great Trial! I... ...I thought the mystical monkey power would save him... ...but..."

Sensei's eyes filled with sorrow.

"They are gone."

"But, Master. Where? Will they come back?"

"You do not understand, Yori.", he said, his voice breaking, "This should not have happened. Dragon candidates who fail simply lose their powers. But Ron-San interfered. I fear that the magic of the Prophecy has had its retribution, and they have not survived it."


	26. Chapter 26

"Kim! Kim! Where are you?"

"I'm... ...I'm right here, Ron!"

"Are you all right? Are you hurt?", he asked anxiously.

"I'm okay, I think."

"I can't see you!"

"I can't see you, either, but, Okay... ...Okay! Follow my voice, Ron! Can you move?"

"Yeah! I can! I'm walking now! I coming towards you!"

Ron was able to move easily, walking in any direction he wanted. Kim's words came through like sparkling clear glass, easily pointing him in the right direction. But he couldn't see a blasted thing through the fog that surrounded him, hardly able to outline his hand in front of his face. He was walking on a hard surface of some sort, very smooth in texture. Tentative at first, he gained more confidence as he strode as quickly as he could in the direction of her voice. In less than a hundred steps, he could make out a form in the thick vapor. Hurrying, he started to run towards it as it soon took the form of a girl in black with red hair.

"Kim!", he cried, scooping her up into his arms and frantically hugging her, "Oh, God! I thought I had lost you!"

She held on just as tenaciously, burying her head into his shoulder.

"It's okay, Ron. I"m alright.", she said, "I'm alright."

He pulled back, a scared look still in his eyes. He quickly glanced all over her, worried over her injuries.

"But those gashes, Kim! I saw the Tiger hurt you bad!"

"I... ...I don't feel any pain, Ron.", she said.

Still frenzied, he looked her over more thoroughly, rapidly assessing for wounds, carefully inspecting her sides and back in particular, and was amazed to find the black silk of her uniform was completely undisturbed and intact. There was no blood, no injury.

"Wha?- I don't get it. What happened?"

"I have no idea, Ron. But I'm fine. I'm okay."

She reached out and held on to him again as they kept looking around, trying to understand what happened. All they could see was the fog, which remained thick and unmoving, the wafts of white vapor slowing rising up and down.

"Where are we?", asked Ron.

Staring into it, Kim said, "It must be the Prophecy, Ron... ...the magic."

That only angered Ron.

Irritated, he replied, "I think you're right, and I am so beginning to hate this!"

"Still too complicated?"

'Oh, yeah.", he said hotly.

"Well, I have a feeling it's going to get worse."

"That's what I was afraid of.", he grated.

She was looking up as a bright light had slowly appeared overhead, gleaming like the sun. Gradually, silently, it grew in intensity until beams fell all around them like spotlights, sweeping the fog away before it. Searching all around again they saw they were standing on a dazzlingly white marble floor, veins of gold snaking beautifully through it. It was one solid piece, with no breaks or segments for as far as they could see.

Kim frowned as she looked around.

"Wait a minute.", she said, her face turning white as she realized it, "Oh my God. I think I know where we are."

Ron's eyebrows rose up, "Oh... ...no. It can't be."

Picking up speed, the silver-white light spread out before them, dispelling the fog in short order to reveal the golden walls they had seen before.

"Oh my God!", she said in sheer awe, "It is, Ron! We're in the temple! The temple that keeps showing up in our dreams!"

Ron was speechless, gawking as the sights around them were unveiled by the brilliant illumination which had no apparent source, steadily spreading out and finally revealing the columns, the gilt walls, the ornate entrances on each side...

"I think I'd prefer nightmares.", he replied a bit sullenly after finding his tongue, "But at least this time we're together. That must be the difference. So we're not dreaming this. Right?"

"Totally.", she said, daunted.

Awestruck, she released him and slowly scanned the expansive marble floor and the walls in the distance, trying to divine the reason why they were here at this time, and why now? Looking up at the sky, she found that the temple had no ceiling. It was open to a clear blue sky moderately filled with patchy white clouds. The light had become diffuse now, and despite it looking like a bright warm day, there was no sun that could be seen. They were in a courtyard, a huge one. The dreams had never fully revealed that.

A distant sound slowly arose from one end of the courtyard. Glancing quickly in that direction, the source of it could not be immediately deduced. At first it was like a scratching sound, like a small animal running. It grew in volume and was soon joined by a chittering racket which made them both gasp, both of them knowing the sound very well. They quickly looked and saw the small pink rodent scurrying towards them.

"Rufus!", cried Ron as his friend jumped up into his hands, "Jeez, little buddy! They got you too?"

The mole rat muttered his concern for his human and quickly reassured them that he was fine. Kim came over and gently petted him, just as Rufus started pointing towards the direction he came from, again chittering in agitation.

"We have to go that way?", asked Kim.

Rufus nodded his head emphatically, continuing to point after he jumped up and parked himself on Ron's shoulder.

"Looks like he's on to something, Kim.", commented Ron, looking in that direction.

Kim carefully studied that far wall of the temple. She saw that they were equidistant from all four walls, having landed exactly in the center of the courtyard and it was a huge area, easily being five hundred feet to a side. She had to look hard to see even that much. The wall Rufus had pointed out had a doorway in it. She quickly checked the others and confirmed that each of the other three walls had a similar portal, just like in their dreams. None of them gave them any indication of being preferable to the others.

"Well, I'm game.", she finally said, "Let's go."

They started walking towards the doorway Rufus had indicated for them and soon reached it. There was no actual door, just an entrance into the chamber beyond. It was ornate, gilt with gold and silver, inlaid with intricate designs. Ron inspected the entryway closely as they neared it.

"Kim.", he said, "Look at this."

They both studied one side of the doorway and were amazed at the exquisite etchings they found there. All over the edging and even onto the wall itself were engraved thousands of small carvings that had somehow been burred into the metal. There were dragons, monkeys, and rats spread out all over the surface, pictured in all manner of poses: rearing, charging, resting, sleeping, fighting, and everything in between. The longer they looked, the images seemed to shift as if they could move through the metal itself.

"It's the Great Trine.", Kim whispered softly in reverence, 'That's what this is all about. It has to be."

She looked back out into the courtyard and added, "I'll bet those other doorways represent the other Trines. I think I heard something about that from Nana."

"Yeah.", replied Ron, "I think I remember Sensei saying something too."

A low thrum abruptly echoed from inside the chamber, startling them, causing Kim to gasp. They stared hard into the room, trying to see what caused it. The first thing they noticed was that the chamber was roofed with a ceiling just as ornate as the doorway, with carved metallic figures running through the bright metal surface. Initially, they could only see a short distance within, as it was total blackness, just the first few feet being lit from the illumination outside, but then slowly the rest of the room began to light up, revealing that the ornamentation they saw extended throughout the chamber from one end to the other, and this room was huge too, also five hundred feet to a side. At the far end of the room they saw a dais. On it were three figures bathed in a light so brilliant only a vague silhouette in each could be made out. They were the source of the light in the room.

Kim gasped softly, "Oh my gosh, Ron. It's... ...it's the second room... ...from the dreams."

"Oh, yeah.", he whispered, still irritated, "It's gets even better, doesn't it?"

The low thrum rumbled through the air again, clearly coming from the central figure on the dais, sounding almost like the sigh of a great beast.

"I think it wants us to go towards it.", Kim said.

"Yep, even better.", muttered Ron glumly.

Slowly, cautiously, they made their way forward, walking towards the dais at a careful deliberate pace, their eyes never wavering from the brightly lit figures. As they did, Kim's hand sought Ron's and he held on to reassure her, as much as to reassure himself. Rufus looked out wide eyed from Ron's shoulder, utterly silent. Just as they reached the platform, the low thrum sounded again, significantly louder and definitely originating from the central figure, still backlit so brightly its form could not be clearly discerned even this close up. The sheer volume of the sound startled them again and they stopped, shielding their eyes as they tried to see better what was there. Slowly and steadily, the light receded from behind the huge figure until its form finally became clear, and Kim and Ron could only stare wide-eyed in shock.

It was the Dragon she had fought back in the Great Trial, but now it was not made of smoke. The huge creature, easily thirty feet tall, stood there facing them, fully formed and solid, huge scales of gold covering its body and wings, glittering red eyes regarding them with an intelligence that pierced them both like spears. The only smoke left was the slow stream of vapors that emitted from its nostrils as it breathed once more, the low thrum again erupting from its throat. The two teens stood speechless until an incredibly deep voice came at them from all directions.

"IT IS DONE.", it boomed, startling them again.

"THE GREAT TRINE IS COMPLETE."

The huge eyes fixed themselves upon Kim.

"YOU ARE THE DRAGON OF YOUR TIME. YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED AS HAVE MANY BEFORE YOU. YET ARE YOU ALSO THE FIRST. THEREFORE LEARN FROM THOSE WHO HAVE COME BEFORE YOU."

Still gawking at the huge creature, Kim anxiously reached out and held on to Ron's hand with both of hers as the color left her face.

"This is just too weird!", she whispered nervously.

"Got that right!", he returned quietly, just as perturbed.

Out of nothingness, a ball of bright white light materialized in front of the dragon, a few feet from them. Colors appeared within, glinting like gems buried in milky paste. They shifted and blurred in liquid streaks, changing, reshaping, and finally settling into a recognizable form. Gradually, a human silhouette became visible, slowly coalescing into the image of a woman. She was heavily tanned with large brown eyes and thick lips. She wore a mail shirt of small thin metal scales and a short skirt, her feet clad in high strapped heavy sandals. She stood holding a long bronze tipped lance in one hand, the other arm bearing a heavy wicker shield. Upon her head she wore a circlet studded with rubies and sapphires.

Kim gasped when the figure moved and stared right at her. Unexpectedly, a beam of light shot out from the red orbs of the Dragon, enveloping Kim in a brilliant golden glow. She yelped briefly, surprised by it, but soon realized she wasn't hurt, and letting go of Ron she was pulled up into the air and held there as the armored woman continued to stare at her with purpose. The globe of light carrying the woman rose with her so that they faced each other levelly. Ron was too shocked to do more than gape at the entire scene, frozen in place, and watching apprehensively. Then Kim heard the woman speak, or so it seemed, for her lips did not move. She realized that somehow she was hearing the woman in her mind.

"Mark me well.", the woman said in a strange accent, "For you are the one hundred and forty-third Dragon. You are the penultimate holder of the Guardianship, the final warrior to come before she who will confirm the Prophecy for all time. One hundred and forty two times now have I come forward and spoken these words. Now heed me, and all those who come after."

Kim gazed at her, totally enthralled. The woman's eyes were powerful, dominating, challenging her with unrelenting eyes as she stared speaking.

"I am Tomyris, Queen of the Massagetae. I am the first of the Dragons, and it is I who anchors the entire chain of Dragon Champions. This knowledge is known only to a very few, and must remain so. You must guard it well for knowledge of this by our enemies could give them great power over the Prophecy. I am the first of the line and it was I who defeated Cyrus the Great of Persia. It was then the dreams called me to the far unknown lands of the East, and so I was granted this honor, to begin the Great Prophecy. Now, hear my story..."

And the flood into her mind was unleashed. Kim grunted, a slight grimace coming over her face. Ron wanted to reach up and touch her, to comfort her, but a voice different from the Dragon entered his thoughts and said, "Be at peace, Chosen One. The Dragon is safe. Soon it will be done and you shall know your part as well."

Ron looked down and could feel the voice was coming from the glowing figure to the right of the Dragon, but he could not make it out. Having no better option, he trusted it and stood there waiting, his heart in his throat as he thought, 'I am so not liking this!'. He continued to watch Kim closely as she hovered in midair, her arms outstretched and eyes closed, as if in communion with the woman appearing in front of her, though he heard nothing.

After a few moments, Kim's face relaxed and the warrior woman's image dissolved into amorphous colors again. The paint-like streaks whirled and formed once more. This time, there was a woman in fine silks and robes, her dark curls styled in waves flowing down from a diadem on her brow. Her skin was a soft olive, yet her eyes showed she was not soft in nature. In one hand she held a sword, and she stood proudly in front of a throne. As did the first figure, she spoke clearly into Kim's mind.

"I am Artemisia, Queen of Halicarnassus. I am the ninth Dragon, and I was Xerxes' greatest adviser. Hear my story..."

Kim's eyes furrowed again in concentration, her brain reeling from everything that poured into her consciousness. She tried to relax as much as she could, but there was so much coming at her. Images, words, battles, triumphs, defeats, love... ...and death. It was a history she could never have imagined coming straight to her from the past as it really happened. She reeled from it, thinking incidentally that she was so not going to have any problems with any future ancient history classes in school anymore.

Fortunately, the time of the communication seemed fairly short, and before she knew it, it had ceased. She had unknowingly held her breath throughout it, and exhaling deeply she opened her eyes to see the ball of light shifting again. The image reformed, and this time it was a woman of the blackest skin and ebon eyes, her curly hair shorn short upon her head. She was dressed in golden armor and round shield much in the ancient Greek fashion. Her helm was held in one hand as she held a spear in the other. She stood defiantly as she proclaimed her station.

"I am Candace, Empress of Ethiopia, and I am the twenty-seventh dragon. In my time I was one of the great generals and tacticians of war in the known world. Great enough was I that of all the enemies ever challenged by Alexander the Great, I am the only one he would not face in battle nor dare to try and defeat! Hear my story!..."

Again Kim's eyes closed as her mind was assailed.

And so, it kept going on through the line of Dragons.

The next was a tall woman with long straight black hair, wearing a short tunic and skirt. She bore a spear and round shield and wore a Spartan styled helm, her gleaming tresses running down her back all the way to her knees. She glared at Kim as she practically shouted in defiance.

"I am Pentheseleia, Queen of the Amazons! Not in strength are we inferior to men; the same our eyes, our limbs the same; one common light we see, one air we breathe; nor different is the food we eat. What then denied to us hath heaven on man bestowed? Hear my story!..."

Again, Kim's head leaned back as her consciousness took it all in.

The next one was a woman with long brunette locks and very white skin, dressed in Roman armor and carrying a short Gladius before her. She stood in a chariot with two young girls in front of her looking enough alike to be her children. The look in her brown eyes was stern and vengeful, and in a voice that carried rage and regret, she spoke.

"Hear me, for I am Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni! I am the fifty-fourth Dragon, and I defied the Romans who ravaged my land, my daughters, and my people! Hear my story!..."

Once more Kim closed her eyes and leaned her head back, taking in all of the imagery, the thoughts, the emotions, and the words given to her. She grunted again, for this was a darker story, one that ended in defeat. She would later remember this acutely as it taught her that even Dragons could fail. But soon, it too was done. And still it was not all there was. Yet another came forward.

'Know me, for I am Mu-Lan.", said the Chinese girl, "It was I who fought in battle for my country. And I am the eighty-first dragon. Hear my story..."

And another...

"I am Dahia-Al Kahina, queen in North Africa, and my story is one of saving my nation. Now hear me..."

And another...

"Know that I am Hind al-Hunud, the leader of my people in Arabia, mighty in prowess as a warrior! Hear my story!..."

"I am Jeanne D'Arc. Hear me now!..."

"I be Gráinne Ní Mháille, or in your tongue, Grace O'Malley, of Ireland. My tale is one you hear now..."

It went on endlessly, each story as amazing, as hopeful, or as heartbreaking as the one before, until the final one.

That image showed a nondescript black woman, her hair cropped close to her head, dressed in a short skirt of thick fabric and tunic, wearing a white brimless cap with a black ribbon wound about it. She carried a rifle and stood with it at rest by her side. Her dark eyes held no fury, no eagerness, but there was still pride as she spoke.

"I am the one hundred forty second Dragon. My name you do not know, nor is it important, for glory was not my fate, nor did I truly seek it. Starting a hundred years before your time, I was a leader of the great warrior women of Dahomey, and our bravery is known throughout Africa and the world. Against the French Foreign Legion and other forces just as respected, we made our mark and took our place of reverence beside the great warriors of history. Yet nothing is known of me for my destiny was to be a caretaker of the Prophecy, not to gain honor and victory in battle. The world was changing rapidly around us and the ways of war changed just as quickly. It was my sisters and I who preserved the tradition of the Amazons so that it would not die, and so are they still remembered today.

"There are many Dragons that you did not see here, for it was not necessary for you to hear them although you will be able to talk to any of them as you wish through meditation. Always there has been a Dragon in history, a champion of the Prophecy, in place at all times since the first one. When one Dragon passed away or surrendered the duty, another took her place, until it was my time. For many decades did I struggle, until I was greatly infirm with old age, well into my tenth decade. But when I gave up my life, it was then there was no Dragon to replace me as my time came to an end. However, the Prophecy provides, and it was the Guardian who came and proved herself instead, the Guardian who would ordain the Dragon of the Great Trine."

Kim felt a cold shiver rush through her body.

'Nana.', she thought to herself.

"Since her Great Trial, there has been no Dragon, no warrior to oversee the Prophecy and effect its purpose, and the world has suffered for it. But now, thanks to the Guardian, the Dragon line is restored, as was her task. It is your time now, sister. Use your gifts well. Those of us who have come before salute you. I bid you, farewell."

Just as suddenly as it started, it was over. The last image faded from sight as did the bright sphere of light that encased it. The Dragon's eyes released the beam of light that held Kim and she slowly floated back down to the marble floor. Ron was there, gathering her back into his arms and hugging her close, wanting to be sure she was okay. She assured him she was when he asked and slowly disengaged herself. She looked at him in a strange way, a serene smile on her lips, and he was surprised to see her eyes, those incredible emerald eyes of hers, because now they were like endless pools of knowledge. She was still his Kim, still the beautiful young woman he loved, but deep in those eyes he now saw the gentleness of an old soul, filled with wisdom. She saw it all now. Still holding his hand, she turned back and faced the Dragon.

The Dragon's great head nodded to her.

"KNOW THAT BEFORE YOU, NO DRAGON HAS BEEN ABLE TO HEAR SO MANY OF HER PREDESCESSORS, NO MORE THAN TWELVE, LIMITING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. NONE HAVE HAD THE ABILITY TO SPEAK TO ALL THE DRAGONS UNTIL YOU, FOR YOU HAVE ACHIEVED THE GREAT TRINE, AND THUS GAINED THE POWER TO ENDURE THE TEST."

Kim immediately understood, remembering the infusion of the vapors which made up the Monkey and the Rat during the combat, feeling now the power that they gave her.

"How... ...how many did I hear?"

"YOU HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND MEMORIES OF SEVENTY-TWO TO AID YOU. REMEMBER AND USE THEM WELL. NOW YOU WILL RECEIVE THE MARK WHICH NONE BEFORE YOU HAVE EARNED."

One more time his eyes lit up and a bright red ray of light shot out of them, touching Kim on the left side of her neck where it met her shoulder. She gasped momentarily, but before she could react, it was gone. It didn't hurt at all. She rubbed it anyway, feeling a slight tingle there. It seemed to be all right. Ron looked at her neck, but could not see anything wrong. The skin was intact and unbroken. Confidently, with full knowledge, she looked at the dragon again.

"I... ...I understand."

"SO BE IT.", the dragon rumbled.

For a moment nothing further seemed to happen, then the figure on the right side of the Dragon started to change. Like the Dragon, the lights behind it slowly dimmed until the figure could be recognized. Ron had a sharp intake of breath when he saw who had spoken to him.

The Great Simian sat there facing him, the same one that the Lotus Blade has shown him. Though he was clearly a monkey, having a tail, his physique was more like one of the great apes. But his face was its most remarkable feature, looking almost human in its expression, especially with the mischief and knowledge it held in its eyes. Sitting easily in a lotus position, it looked at Ron with that kindly, yet amused face, his eyes as brown as Ron's. His demeanor was full of intelligence and he smirked as he 'spoke'.

"Are you ready, Chosen One?"

His lips did not move, and Ron realized he heard him in his mind.

Ron looked at him, puzzled, "Uh... ...ready for what?"

"To be joined."

Ron turned red faced and smiled at Kim briefly before facing the Monkey again.

"Now? Uh, well, I think we'll be married at some point..."

Kim ducked her head demurely, a little red-faced herself, as the Monkey chuckled and grinned, softly interrupting him by asking again, "That is for another time. For now, are you ready to be joined into the Great Trine?"

"Oh, sure! Anytime you are. Uh, is there some sort of test?"

Smiling wider, the Monkey laughed louder and answered, "Did you not throw yourself in front of the Dragon's attackers at the Great Trial to shield her? Did you not offer your life, not once, not twice, but three times to save her? No, Chosen One, you have passed the test. Your loyalty and your love have been proven by your willingness to sacrifice your life for the Dragon to save her. But more than that, you have made the sacrifice to live your life for her, so that she may achieve her purpose. No more do you need to prove."

A beam of golden light emitted from his forehead and struck Ron, enveloping him just like the one that had engulfed Kim before. He gasped slightly as his head leaned back and his eyes closed. Kim gazed at him, standing completely still as he was transfixed with that beam, unmoving, and it was only a few moments before the light changed, transforming into an argent ray that formed a silver ball of gleaming light in front of his eyes. Something began to form in it, gradually taking shape. It soon revealed itself, a simple leather thong, looped onto a brilliant emerald jade cameo of a fighting monkey.

Ron's eyes widened.

"The Amulet of the Monkey King!", he exclaimed.

"Exactly", replied the Great Simian, "It is a powerful item and must go to the proper recipient, the Chosen One, when he has earned it, as you have."

Ron started to sweat, thinking frantically, "But I'm going to turn into a Monkey!"

The Great Simian laughed loudly in his mind again, "Be at peace, Chosen One! That is not your fate! It only has that effect on those who try to take it without being worthy."

"But Kim was worthy! It still turned her into a Monkey!"

"Ah! Yes! She is worthy. But she is not committed to the Sign of the Monkey as you are. She is Dragon. Therefore it would have the same effect."

"Oh.", Ron said, calming down, "So I won't turn into a Monkey?"

"No, Chosen One!", the Great Simian replied, still laughing, "But it will give you much needed powers, especially where determining your future actions are concerned."

Slowly, the Amulet flew up as the silver light ball disappeared, Gently, it draped itself over Ron's neck. Kim gasped at first, worried, but Ron turned to her and said, "It's okay, Kim. It's supposed to come to me, it seems."

"It won't turn you..."

"No, No. That only happened to those who tried to take it who didn't earn it."

Kim frowned, "But I wasn't trying to take it."

"Yeah, I know. Same effect anyway."

Kim snorted, crossing her arms.

"Whatever.", she grumbled.

The Amulet settled down on Ron's chest, and promptly disappeared in a blink. He gasped and looked around, feeling his neck. Kim looked closely.

"Yep. It's there. ", she said, seeing the iridescent figure of the monkey embedded in Ron's skin.

"And so it should be," said the Great Simian, "And there it belongs."

Ron blinked twice, looking around a couple of times before staring back at the Monkey.

"Uh, so what happened? I don't feel any different."

The Monkey laughed again, saying "In time you shall see. It is done."

The laughter seemed to echo off the walls and ebbed away as the figure to the Dragon's left began to appear, the light behind it dimming to reveal a Rat, the largest one Ron had ever seen, fully eight to ten feet long, its tail snaking around its feet to an even greater length. It was furred, looking more like a brown Norway rat, but that did not seem to make a difference, and it began to commune with its naked relative as it softly chittered. Suddenly, Rufus stood up on Ron's shoulder and answered it. There was a long exchange of squeaks and chattering, then at the last Rufus bowed his head in respect to his greater cousin.

Ron turned to his pet and asked, "Are you alright, Rufus?"

The mole rat turned to him and stared right into his eyes, and a very high pitched voice suddenly intruded into his mind and said, "I'm okay!"

Ron gasped.

"Rufus! You can talk!... ...Like mentally!"

"Sure!", the voice in his head replied back, "No prob!"

Kim frowned at him, then gasped alongside Ron as Rufus looked at her and telepathically said 'hello' to her.

Surprised, Kim and Ron stared at each other just as another voice came into their minds, this time from the Great Rat. It was a strange voice, sounding more like the high pitched chirping of a bird than a voice, but they could understand it clearly.

"The Friend of the Great Trine will now be able to talk to you, as friends should. Rely upon his counsel, for in times of great need, he shall be there to help. It is done."

Then, a silver beam of light struck out from the Great Rat's eyes and struck Rufus on his neck. The mole rat yelped at first, but quickly quieted down when he realized it didn't hurt. After only a few moments, the brilliant ray of white light disappeared. Ron carefully took Rufus into his hands and both he and Kim inspected the skin, finding the iridescent outline of a rat embedded on his neck. Ron wondered why Kim did not have one.

Stunned, the teens looked up at the Rat. The giant creature sat there and gazed back at them with bright eyes which glittered for just a moment. Except for a couple of twitches of its whiskers, it didn't move.

The Dragon addressed Kim once again.

"OF ALL DRAGONS, ONLY YOU HAVE ACHIEVED THE GREAT TRINE IN THE GREAT TRIAL. OF ALL DRAGONS, NONE BUT YOU REACHED THE FULL COMBAT OF TEN OPPONENTS, AND THE JOINING OF THE MONKEY AND THE RAT WITH YOU THEN COMPLETED THE TEST. NOW BEGINS THE FINAL PHASE OF THE PROPHECY, THE FINAL APPROACH OF THE GREAT DRAGON. NOW WILL BE REVEALED THE FUTURE SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW YOUR ROLE IN DESTINY."

The three figures on the dais suddenly flared into bright lights again. As they did, they soared up into the air and Kim and Ron found themselves floating with them as the marble floor and the temple walls disappeared. The fog reappeared all around them, but it was not quite as thick as they could still see the three spheres of light a short distance away. The orbs spread out and surrounded them equidistantly as if at the three corners of a triangle, with them in the center. Their feet touched down on an invisible surface and they stood on it cautiously as Ron held Kim in his arms again, both of them looking around in awe at the wondrous display of lights that began to play out around them. A golden beam shot out from each sphere and met at a point just in front of them forming yet another sphere of light much like the one in which Kim had seen the Dragons who came before her, and soon there were colors and shapes forming in that one too. The two teens could only gape in stunned surprise as the images unfolded.

A pastoral scene gradually came into view. There were several trees and lush grass all around underneath a clear blue sky, the sun shining brightly. On a blanket spread out underneath one large elm there were several people enjoying a picnic. As the view closed in on them, Kim brought her free hand up to her mouth in awe, suspecting and then realizing who they were. She saw Ron's parents putting out some food from a wicker basket, organizing the plastic storage ware as her own parents walked into the scene carrying other victuals. They were laughing and engaging in conversation as they all sat down to enjoy the food and refreshments. Then two younger people joined them... ...themselves.

They watched their future selves smile and find a place by the repast. She was wearing a slightly more conservative style of clothing, more subdued than usual it seemed, and Ron's haircut was a little different, but then she gulped with a sharp intake of breath, seeing she was stooping down and sitting gingerly on the grass as Ron helped her. Her belly was hugely swollen, obviously pregnant.

Kim looked up at Ron just as wide eyed as he was, the ramifications of that scene firing through their minds at the speed of light.

"Uh... ...At least we don't have to worry about not being able to have kids, huh?", he muttered quietly.

Kim was struck mute, and could only nod in agreement as both of them turned their eyes back to the sphere of light which was now shifting to a different scene. In front of a house somewhere, there were two little light haired boys running around a yard playing tag. They looked to be about three or four.

"Aren't those the tweebs?", Ron asked.

Kim's eyes got wider as she said, "Oh my gosh, Ron. These are future events. They can't be the tweebs. They're... ...Oh my God, Ron! They're ours!", and her voice trailed off into shocked silence.

Ron gasped in response, now making the connection. The boys faded from view. In their place came the sound of tramping feet and an aerial view of a parade appeared. There was the blaring of marching bands and the din of mechanized vehicles, and they saw it was a military procession. It seemed to be a time of celebration, and there were crowds lining the streets and cheering, but it didn't feel right. The cheering seemed forced somehow, and there was clearly something malevolent about the whole scene.

Kim could sense evil there. It emitted from the sphere and touched her like a slime oozing over her skin, feeling like an ugly, itchy rash. The view then traveled over the marching soldiers and focused onto a grandstand. The troops and mechanized weapon carriers rolled by and saluted as they did, all looking upon a single figure there. It looked like some of those May Day parades of the old Soviet Union she has seen in history class. The figure on the grandstand was proud, haughty, exhibiting the mien of a nobleman, but it was a sham. Kim could see him standing there glaring at them all with hate and vengeance, smiling as if he knew he was about to achieve a retribution he seemed to relish. Kim and Ron didn't recognize him, but they didn't have to. Just behind him there was another figure standing in the shadows of the curtains of the balcony doors, a dark sneering grin on his face. He was older, a white streak cutting through his hair, his face more lined than before, but there was no question about it. It was Drakken. His blue skin was patchy and a little more wrinkled but the malevolence of his eyes stayed unabated. What worried Kim more, though, was the younger man in front, accepting the acclaim and adoration from the troops, for the evil his eyes held matched the older man's, and his skin was just as blue.

Suddenly an explosion filled the sphere. There was no sound but the abrupt flash of light surprised Kim, making her jump. Fire and smoke raged within as yelling and screaming filled the air. Gunfire began to echo through. Two figures rappelled into view, firing plasma rifles. Kim inhaled sharply as she stared.

"Ron, look! Those have to be the tweebs! And they're grown like in our dreams!"

"Yeah, Kim. But, they dyed their hair blonde or something."

"It's them, Ron! This is supposed to be the future! Maybe they'll become rebel fighters just like in the dream!"

Suddenly, Kim gasped as it hit her, "Oh God! Ron! They're our boys!... ...Grown!..."

Ron didn't answer, staring open mouthed at the images. The two figures swung into view and out again swiftly, then the entire scene disappeared just as quickly as it had come. It shifted again, and Kim saw herself riding on the deck of some sort of advanced military aircraft, a tilt rotor plane capable of hovering, but using jet engines instead of propellers. Ron was beside her as they looked out an open hatchway over a heavily snowed-in countryside somewhere. It looked like it was close to Middleton, but she couldn't be sure. She looked older, as did Ron, more about their parents' age. But what shocked her was the two figures appearing just behind her on the craft.

"Ron! Look! Look!", she cried out.

Ron gaped, still too choked up to answer.

Behind their older selves on the aircraft appeared two fourteen or fifteen year old girls, obviously identical twins. They had green eyes, long red hair, and their mother's face and figure.

Kim almost shrieked as she reached up and held on to Ron, hugging him tight as she yelped.

"Oh my God! Look, Ron!. Look! _They're our daughters_! They have to be! Our daughters!"

"It has to be...", Ron mumbled, almost speechless. The two girls looked so much like Kim at that age, they couldn't be anybody else but their children. The tears running down her face, Kim looked back, trying to catch and savor every moment she could as she leaned her head against Ron's, mumbling "Oh, my God! Look at them! They're so beautiful!", over and over again. He was too stunned to respond, crying as she was, holding on to her as tightly as he could. They watched as the older Kim turned in the hatchway and smiled at the two girls, then reached out and pulled them into a loving embrace as the older Ron looked on, also smiling. Then the scene slowly faded, and Kim cried harder as it disappeared, not wanting to lose sight of it.

Another scene took its place. Slowly, two figures began to form, one large and one small. They were in a kitchen somewhere, surrounded by the cabinets, a sink, an oven, and the other usual implements. The larger figure finally coalesced into a woman's shape. She appeared to be facing away from them, sitting on a stool, seemingly having just gotten up from bed as she was wearing a bathrobe. Just over her shoulder, they could see the smaller form come into focus, and it was a small child, a boy. He was perhaps six to nine months old with a chubby face and close cropped black hair, happily mewling and slapping at the high chair in which he was sitting. The woman was cooing and laughing at him, saying some nonsense words but also saying something real to him as well, probably to encourage him to eat, but they could not really make out the words or a true voice. They couldn't tell much about the woman at all as the only thing they could really see of her was her knee length long hair tied back in a ponytail, and occasionally a spoon would appear just in front of her to feed the child. Nothing else was visible of her from this angle.

But then the angle shifted up and they could see the small bowl with pureed food in it. The woman continued to dip the spoon in and encourage the tot to eat, while at the same time happily making noises and playing with him. The viewing angle continued to shift around to the side and her face began to appear, and Kim thought that her color was a little off.

And then it was obvious who she was.

"Oh, wow! I would have never thought...", she said almost inaudibly.

Shego's face came into view with as happy an expression as she had ever seen on her. There was a calmness and clarity to it that took her breath away because she had never seen her former arch-enemy with such a peaceful mien as she did then. Her eyes still wet from seeing her daughters, they started to well up again as she felt an incredible joy, thinking of how right it was that Shego would succeed at fighting back from all she had gone through to be so happy.

But it was still so mind-boggling. Even now, it was hard to see the sarcastic and distant woman who tended to push people away from her as someone who could demonstrate such affection... ...as a parent.

As if reading her mind, Ron muttered, "And a stranger sight you will never see."

"Maybe.", Kim replied, "But I'll welcome it."

"Oh yeah.", he said.

The image disappeared, the ball of light becoming clear, showing only a bright white glow. Slowly something more solid, more substantial began to form inside. Tears still in her eyes, Kim continued to hold on tightly to Ron as she gazed at it, wondering what could possibly come next. But it was not sight, but sound that followed.

The Dragon rumbled once more, "REMEMBER. THESE FUTURE EVENTS ARE NOT ASSURED, BUT CAN BE ACHIEVED IF YOU ARE FAITHFUL TO YOUR TRUST."

The red eyes captured her attention again as he paused.

"YOU MUST REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THAT TRUST, RELYING UPON YOUR ABILITIES AND GIFTS. EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN GRANTED TO YOU IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND WORTHY. YET, REMEMBER THE MOST IMPORTANT GIFT, THE ONE GIFT THAT NO OTHER DRAGON TRULY ACHIEVED AS YOU DID, WHICH IS THE ONE WHICH IS NEVER EARNED, BUT FREELY GIVEN. IT IS THAT WHICH THE GUARDIAN WAS ENTRUSTED TO ENSURE YOU LEARNED, WHICH CAN ONLY COME BACK TO YOU WHEN YOU GIVE IT AWAY."

Kim 's eyes were glistening as she gazed at the great creature, now fully understanding how Nana had subtly guided her from a distance, making sure Kim had grown up with her parents happy and adored. And she knew the gift the dragon meant as she looked at Ron, her affection for him swelling. She looked back at the Dragon, confident in her knowledge, secure in her feelings for Ron...

She nodded slowly as she answered him simply, softly, "Love."

The Dragon nodded in agreement, almost imperceptibly.

"IT IS DONE.", it continued, "NOW COMES THE FINAL REVELATION. AS THE GUARDIAN GUIDED YOU, SO MUST YOU GUIDE THIS ONE. BEHOLD THE GREAT DRAGON HERSELF, THE FINAL BEARER OF THE POWER OF THE PROPHECY."

Kim and Ron gazed in wonder at the sphere as a figure slowly appeared, its form almost milky in appearance, nothing showing but the silhouette. The lines began to sharpen and they could see it was a young woman. She was slowly walking into the light from out of the sphere, her outline growing as she approached from a distance. Although Kim could not see, something gave her the impression the young woman was smiling and speaking directly to her, but she could not understand anything that was said. The figure stepped out of the retreating background and stood straight up as the sphere suddenly blazed like white fire, outlining her form again into a silhouette. Ron had to let go of Kim and shield his vision, unable to see, trying to block it with his hands, but Kim stood there wide-eyed and staring, completely untroubled by the brilliance of the light.

The woman smiled at Kim and spoke again, and Kim could hear the sound better, though she still couldn't understand the words. The softness of the woman's voice amazed her. There was affection, reverence, and joy emanating with each syllable that came from her throat. But more than that, there was also an incredible rapture of love given with every sound her voice made. Kim didn't know how, but she could sense every emotion in her words. The woman stood there smiling at Kim, her long, incredibly full hair flowing like water down her back all the way down to her knees, green eyes gazing at her. Light began to radiate from her face, her hands, her body... ...she looked up and held both arms out to either side. When Kim finally saw her face, her eyes snapped wide open in shock once more. The woman opened her hands and held them up to the sky.

Kim gasped as they suddenly burst into flame, gathering green plasma in fiery spurts and molding them into perfect emerald spheres in each hand, then she looked back at Kim with an exultant joy in her eyes as she sprung into the air and flew high up above Kim and the sphere of light, above the three great animals in their balls of energy, and there she shouted in triumph as the green energy seemed to wash out from her hands and ignite into a huge conflagration of flame and power all about her. A roaring sound came to Kim's ears as she stood there almost catatonic from the display. Ron continued to try and peer out between his fingers, but the light was so searing to him, he could still just barely make out her form. But even that was enough to make him gulp in in surprise and consternation.

The woman continued to pour her will and control into the green plasma as it exuded from her hands, skillfully molded as it grew in size, her energy feeding the huge form that was assembling before Kim's eyes. Kim had seen this done once before, and she looked on uncertain and fearful, frozen in place, as the emerald creature took shape and defined itself, the great body centering itself on the woman at its heart, the feet and talons forming underneath, the wings addorsed above, flowing with the energy as plasma blasts seem to ripple off of them into space, the fiery eyes staring sharply out of that great head.

But Kim realized that the creature meant her no harm, and she soon relaxed, absorbed with awe at what she saw. This was not the raptor that Shego had formed in the Caribbean.

It was an Emerald Dragon, and it roared, proclaiming its dominance and power to the farthest reaches of the fog with a sound so resonant in its low frequencies that it made Kim's and Ron's bodies literally vibrate. The young woman looked down at Kim, her face softening again with obvious love as she said something more. But Kim still could not understand her, tilting her head and frowning in confusion at her. The woman chuckled and released her dragon form, the green plasma gradually receding until there were only small tendrils emitting from her palms. She gently flew down and hovered in front of Kim, smiling and laughing as she placed one palm on her face, softly stroking her as she repeated one word.

As soon as she said it, Kim cried out and sank to her knees, her face white in disbelief. Yet the woman was not put off. She floated down a bit further and placed both hands on Kim's face, uttering the word again as she leaned in and gently kissed her on the cheek. Then she smiled and pulled back, and in another great yell of exultation she flew back up and ignited the Dragon once again, flaring into the great beast in a pure celebration of her power and ability. This time, it grew larger and larger until its form overtook everything, including the two teens. Kim reached over and gathered Ron to her, both of them on their knees as he continued to try and look through the searing light. The green plasma erupted all around them, and Kim could see green fire surrounding them, igniting everything, even the fog. They held onto each other tightly as they were enveloped by the flames, individual tendrils licking all about their bodies.

They did not burn, nor feel any heat. The Kung Fu uniforms they wore remained untouched. But the deafening roar of the dragon filled the air and did not diminish, assaulting their ears so loudly that it began to hurt. The fires grew more and more until they were so bright they both had shut their eyes to keep from being blinded, and they held each other tightly while the flames built up higher and higher, until they were finally swallowed completely within them.

* * *

"But, Master! Where? Will they come back?"

"You do not understand, Yori.", Sensei said sadly, his voice breaking, "This should not have happened. Dragon candidates who fail simply lose their powers. But Ron-San interfered. I fear that the magic of the Prophecy has had its retribution, and they have not survived it."

"No...", said Yori in a strangled voice, "It can not be."

Sensei looked hard at her.

"Dragons can fail, Yori.", he answered in a low hard voice, "You know this. It has happened before."

They looked out into the empty room, stunned into inaction and finding nothing more they could do or say. The empty hall loomed at them.

Nana had recovered from her initial surprise and stood there, still as stone, also staring at the empty room. The look on her face was cold, but expectant, unlike the other masters who now began to shout in dismay and surprise. As Yori stared gauntly at her, Nana remained still amongst all the shock and consternation, a contrast to the other masters loudly muttering their concerns. Seeming to have just noticed them, an annoyed look came over her and she uttered one sharp word.

"Silence!"

Everyone came to a stop and quiet filled the hall again, until one master spoke up...

"I warned you!", the master of dragon style kung fu cried out angrily to the Guardian, "She has failed!

"How can that be?", cried the Shaolin Master, "Never have I seen such a display of skill and artistry!"

"Yes!", replied the Crane leader, "Only the dragon could have succeeded so well..."

"But she did not win!", countered the Dragon Master, "All of your interpretations of the Prophecy were wrong! Now we have no Dragon! No-"

"That's enough!", interjected Nana.

"Do not try to silence me!..."

"I said be quiet!", shouted the Guardian, interrupting, "Your shortsighted rants will be our undoing!"

"It's obvious-"

"SHUT UP!", she screamed.

The Dragon style master stared in surprise, and remained silent.

"For fifty years, your impatience has always irritated us.", she muttered, "Now be quiet and wait. It is not over yet."

He made an annoyed face at her, and harrumphed in reply, but only crossed his arms and did as he was bid.

They stared at the empty room with her, almost completely dark from the fury which had blown out all the torches in the room, and like statues they stood and stared into the darkness, waiting.

They did not have to wait long. The blackness exploded in a furious and intense flash of light emerging from the center of the chamber. A roar emitted from it as a conflagration of verdant flame erupted into view, filling the great hall to the ceiling as it took bodily form. The Emerald Dragon appeared before them and roared in triumph again as it breathed green fire. Stamping its feet, the fires beside it coalesced into the Monkey and Rat, also composed in green flames. They all faced the masters with a third roar of the Dragon as it exclaimed in its incredibly deep rumbling voice that filled the hall.

"THE GREAT TRINE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. IT IS DONE!"

As quickly as they had come, all three images flashed brightly and disappeared from view with an explosive blast, the sounds of the Dragon's roaring echoing off the walls.

All became quiet again, and the dumbstruck masters gazed in wonder at the middle of the room. The torches had been ignited again, burning brightly, and they could see two forms huddling together on their knees, tenaciously holding each other. Slowly, they looked up and around, somehow not surprised at where they were.

Ron stood up and held out his hand to Kim. She took it, and he helped her to her feet. For a moment they stood there, gazing at each other, silently exchanging their thoughts, and a serene look passed between them. Smiling, they melted back into each other's arms into a strong embrace, the love they shared cementing the future they looked forward to upholding. Then parting, and still holding hands they turned and looked at the masters, their faces almost blank as they walked towards them.

Nana's face lost all her worry and pain, and she smiled widely as she came up to Kim, engaging her in a strong hug, so glad she had returned unharmed. Kim returned the hug with joy, gently smiling, then let go as Nana gathered Ron to her as well. Sensei and Yori were next, hugging the teens and exclaiming how happy they were to see them. The other masters also came and congratulated them on their survival, pleased that the Great Trial was successful, but there soon was apparent an air of apprehension, for one master did not come forward.

The master of Dragon Style Kung Fu still stood apart, carrying a staff which he now rapped on the ground three times. Gaining everyone's attention he looked squarely at Kim, and then bowed stiffly. He appeared concerned and worried, almost hostile. Kim faced him and returned the bow cautiously. The master straightened up and looked at her in stern consideration.

Looking around the room, he said, "Let the acolytes be dismissed for now."

The other masters looked at each other briefly, then at their acolytes, their faces signaling agreement with the order. In organized fashion, their subordinates, including Yori, left the room. Soon it was only the masters and the Guardian with Ron and Kim. When all was still again, the Dragon Master faced her once more.

"There is still the proof to be had of your success, Kim Possible.", he said sternly, "Answer my questions and show me the sign that you are indeed the Dragon of the Great Trine."

"What further proof would you have?", questioned another master, "The Dragon has proclaimed it!"

"Yet would I be assured!", shouted the dragon style master, his vehemence silencing his fellow associate, "There are marks that only those of the Great Trine will possess, and knowledge which only they can give, and which is known but to us here in this room."

Nana looked stonily at him, her jaw tense, but she gave a short nod and replied, "Then let it be as you wish, if you require it."

There was some further muttering amongst the other masters, but no one objected.

The master of Dragon Style Kung Fu turned and faced Kim again.

"First, there is the claim that you have achieved the Great Trine.", he said quietly, "Only the masters here have this knowledge, that if it is true, then all of you carry the marks of it. Let them be shown."

Kim stared at him, not quite understanding, then felt a tingle at the nape of her neck and realized what it was he was looking for. Reaching up over her head with her right arm, she gathered her hair at the left side of her neck and pulled it away behind her, bending her head to the right to reveal it.

The masters crowded around to see the iridescent red dragon embedded into her skin, suddenly and excitedly talking amongst themselves.

Ron gasped, "Kim! It's in the same spot where the red light hit you!"

"Yes, Ronald.", replied Nana, "And this is the first time in history a Dragon has ever achieved it."

"It's just like what the Amulet of the Monkey King did to me!"

Nana smiled as she answered.

"Yes, Ronald. But she was not meant to receive that magic, which is why she transformed the way she did. That amulet was meant for another... ...'Chosen One'."

Ron looked at her, slightly embarrassed, "Uh, yeah. I kind of found that out."

Nana chuckled.

"We'll discuss that another time. For now, it is sufficient that the correct 'Chosen One' has received the right magic in both your cases."

Ron looked back at the image on Kim's neck, thoughtful and amazed, wondering why it hadn't appeared until now, slowly rubbing on the one on his own neck. The masters had looked as well, and then inspected the similar images on both Ron and Rufus also, erupting into a deep conversation of approval as they saw the outlines of the small, iridescent creatures embedded in their flesh. The Dragon Style master gazed long and hard at all three, especially Kim, but still seemed unconvinced. Kim let her hair down again and faced the master once more, eyeing him blankly from under hooded eyes. No longer was she a subordinate here. She faced him as an equal.

The master glared back at her for a moment noting the change in her attitude, but did not challenge it. Then he spoke his question.

"Name the first Dragon.", he commanded, "Only those who have successfully gone through the Great Trial and the masters know this."

Kim didn't move, standing there and staring him down before she softly answered.

"She was so beautiful. She had wonderfully tanned skin, incredible eyes. I've never seen eyes like that before."

The master squinted his eyes at her, "That could easily be guessed. I require more."

"You think I don't know?"

"Her name?", countered the master.

Kim smiled confidently as she replied, "Tomyris, Queen of the Massagetae."

Again the masters erupted into furious discussion amongst themselves. The master of Dragon Style Kung Fu gazed at her deeply, looking more disturbed.

"And why is this knowledge kept secret?"

Kim smiled at him like a predator about to pounce.

"Because she showed me the location of her tomb."

"Which is where?"

Kim slowly shook her head, still smiling, "You know only Dragons are allowed that secret."

The other masters began to mutter hurriedly amongst themselves.

"Are you not yet convinced?", asked the Shaolin Master.

The others started to mutter in support of that when the Dragon Style Master retorted angrily, "One question yet, I will ask!"

All went quiet again as Kim stood unmoving, her eyes fixed on him.

The Dragon Master's eyes seemed to pierce her as he asked his question.

"What is the greatest gift you received as the Dragon of the Great Trine, the one that will give you the greatest power? What will make you stronger than all the dragons that came before you?"

Kim's face changed, a power and confidence filling it so fully that it shone like a spotlight. And then suddenly that power became palpable through the air, everyone feeling the intense energy behind it. The Dragon Master's eyes widened, and he backed up a couple of steps, daunted. The other masters could feel the energy emanate from her like the heat of a bonfire. They slowly murmured again, feeling the power of the Dragon fill the room. They too began to back away from her as a vague, ghostly image appeared around her, springing up and taking shape over her body, transparent and glimmering. This was not the same creature that had proclaimed Kim's success at the Great Trial only moments ago. It was an iridescent scarlet dragon which looked out in triumph and confidence over the council of masters, clearly extolling its authority and confidence, the power of the Dragon herself... ...of Kim Possible. She was shining from its reflection as it stood over her, wings addorsed, majestic in its carriage. The Dragon Master blanched when he saw it.

Kim looked over at Ron and reached out, taking his hand, holding it gently, yet firmly, as she looked steadily back at the Dragon Master.

"The greatest gift of all.", she said almost in a whisper, which somehow reverberated throughout the chamber, "Love. It is the only thing powerful enough to let me save the entire world..."

She gazed at Ron with all the adoration in her heart, the ghostly dragon image above her glistening fiery red and smiling down at the Dragon Master, its teeth shimmering brightly.

"...or let Ron save me. The only thing powerful enough to allow him and me to join together as one, to become the Great Trine with the Rat, with Rufus... ...and truly save the whole world..."

Her voice became steady and soft, her demeanor reflecting a solid iron will as she added, "...and to make sure the Great Dragon herself will be prepared to succeed."

She stared back at the Dragon Master. Silence overtook the hall as the elder paled from that stone cold gaze.

Slowly, the other masters sighed their relief, smiles radiating from them as the Dragon Master continued to try and stare Kim down, and failed. Slowly he cast his eyes downward, and nodded his acceptance.

"It is done.", he said in a soft voice, and he bowed deeply to her. He stayed in that position as the other masters soon joined him. The dragon image around Kim slowly faded away as did the glow, and at the end, Kim acknowledged them all by nodding her head in a short bow.

Only then did the council of masters file orderly out of the room, leaving Kim and Ron with Nana and Sensei. Nana embraced her granddaughter again in a close hug as Kim laid her head on her shoulder, tears silently coming down. Ron was behind her with his hands on her shoulder as Sensei stood nearby.

Sensing some disquiet, Nana asked, "What is it, Kimberly?"

Kim looked up at her and smiled, "I'm okay, I'm okay. I just can't talk about it right now."

Nana nodded knowingly and replied, "Tears of joy, then. Good. I am so proud of you, dear."

"The burden passes to me, now.", Kim said.

"I know.", said Nana, "But I hope it will eventually bring you as much satisfaction and happiness as I feel now."

Kim smiled and hugged her grandmother closer.

"We need to get ready to go then.", she said, "There's a lot we have to do."

"I know, dear.", Nana replied.

She let go, gently pulling her granddaughter's head down slightly as she kissed her forehead and nodded, repeating, "I know."

Then she led the way from the Great Hall.

* * *

It was later on after they said their goodbyes to Sensei and Yori that Kim called up the crew of the helicopter to confirm it would pick her and Ron up in a couple of hours to take them back home. They had each returned to their separate quarters and packed their belongings. When she finished, Kim waited for Ron while looking quietly out the small window in her room. She was still admiring the landscape outside when he came in. Laying his backpack down, he stood beside her, putting his arm around her shoulder and looking out at the mountains in the daylight, still a majestic sight to see. Kim could understand why the ancient monastery had been built here. Such beauty would always be conducive to the meditation and search for wisdom that was sought out by the monks and acolytes that inhabited it.

"How're you doing?", he asked softly.

She gazed out the window, answering after a pause, "I'm okay, Ron. I'm beginning to see it all now."

He looked at her briefly with a questioning look before gazing back out the window with her, "That's great, because I hope you'll explain it to me. There was a lot of that stuff I just didn't get, especially at the last."

Kim chuckled softly as she continued to drink in the sight of the mountains, then she turned to him, her eyes glistening and happy. She put her arms around his neck and brought her lips close to his.

She said, "Have I told you today how much I love you?"

He smiled, replying, "Not in so many words, but..."

She giggled and reached up, kissing him long and slow, savoring every second they touched.

When their lips parted, she sighed and said, "Well I do, you know."

He was still smiling as he softly replied, "Right back at you, K.P."

He reached up and stroked her hair, momentarily revealing the dragon mark on her neck, and he traced the outline of it tenderly as she lay her head on his shoulder.

"This has got to be the weirdest, freakiest day in my life.", he said.

"Hmmm. Tell me about it."

"I mean.", he continued, "What was with all those women in armor and weapons? All they did was stare at you for the longest time."

"Oh, they were talking, Ron.", she explained, "You just couldn't hear it. I'll tell you later what they said."

"But what were they saying?"

Kim looked off in the distance, a far away stare, before she turned her gaze back to her love.

"It was knowledge. Knowledge... ...wisdom, a perception of the world and history that I could never have understood before. I heard from seventy-two Dragons, Ron. It was ... ...amazing. There are more from history, but... ...I understand now. I will be able to talk to all of them, now that I know how. Now I can truly save the world, in a way I could never have done before."

"Wow. That's... ... that's incredible, Kim.", replied Ron, truly awed, "But what about Shego? What was she doing there? How can she be the Great Dragon?"

Surprised, Kim looked up at him, her eyes seeing the question in his own.

"You mean you couldn't see who it was?"

"Of course I saw her, Kim. Well, I mean the light was so strong I could only see, like, a silhouette of her, but there's no mistaking that figure or her hair. But even if those weren't enough, obviously the green plasma blasts were the dead giveaway. So why her?"

Kim gazed at him in wonder and smiled. She reached up and softly kissed him again before answering.

"Yes, Ron, you can't really mistake her when you see all that. Nobody but Shego has that hair and figure, and the green plasma."

"Right. And what did she say to you?"

Kim's eyes melted into pure joy, glowing and turning warm, and Ron saw something there he had never seen before. He saw such hope and happiness as to take his breath away, an assurance that everything in the world was right and would never go bad. It was as if she knew exactly what the future held for them, and that it was beautiful. He had to think maybe she was right after what they had witnessed.

She smiled so widely then as she replied, "She only said one word, Ron.

"You see, it was Shego. You did see that in her hair, her body, and her power. But her hair is blonde, like yours. Her face and eyes are mine, and the word she said to me was... ...'Nana'.

"She is Shego, Ron... ...and she is me... ...and she is you."

"She is all of us..."

"She's our granddaughter..."


	27. Chapter 27

More of the relatives had started to crowd into the hospital room where Kim was waiting for the surgical suite to open up, and it was getting a little noisy, which only aggravated her more. She couldn't rest well with all this activity. Then there was a commotion in front of the door, and Kim looked up expectantly, hoping that Ron had finally come. But instead it was Shego, dressed in her mission mode green and black tights, coming in with some flowers and a big smile. Kim smiled back and greeted her as she came up and gave Kim a hug and a kiss. It gave her another twinge of pain, but she endured it. She was always glad to see her 'big sis', especially now with her being out of action in her present condition. Shego had assumed temporary command of Team Possible until she and Ron returned as Jos was out of action as well, being involved in final exams at school. The green and black uniform was nostalgic to Kim, but off duty, Kim and Monique had finally managed to convince her to try out some better fashions, including better color schemes.

"How's my little sister?", she purred.

"Oh, I'm as fine as could be expected." Kim said playfully, "Have you seen Ron?"

"No, I heard he was picking up Tim and Jim at school and headed right on over. Should have been here by now."

"I hope he didn't get delayed again. He always gets turned around on the new interstate for some reason."

"Oh, yeah. That thing gives me headaches, too. It can delay you an hour!"

"Love the flowers."

"Thanks, Princess!", Shego said smiling, then she turned to Dr. Possible and frowned, "Why haven't they taken her yet?"

"The case before her is taking longer than expected.", Dr. Possible replied, "They should be ready soon."

Shego looked irritated, "Well, that's not right. Can't you do anything?"

Immediately, both Kim and her mother piped up in unison, "(I'm/She's) only a brain surgeon!"

"Whatever.", she snorted, "Well, I'm here for you."

"Thanks, sis. Uh, you're in mission mode?"

"Yeah, got a looming disaster in the North Atlantic. Wade's on top of it. He'll let us know if we're needed."

"Right.", said Kim, relaxing as she could see she had things well in hand.

The Kimmunicator beeped, and Shego pulled it off of her belt, clicking it on.

"Oops, gotta go!", she said cheerily as she headed for the door.

"Tell Eric and your brothers hello for me.", said Kim.

"Sure thing!", she replied grinning as she turned and left the room with the Kimmunicator, saying, "Okay, Wade, what's the sitch?"

Kim said to no one in particular, "That is still so weird to hear her saying that."

But she really was grateful for Shego now. She had become her strongest ally and friend besides Ron, and the strongest individual asset to Team Possible aside from Kim herself. They had indeed become as close as sisters, too, even closer than their respective brothers. Only Ron was closer to Kim.

Trying to calm down another spasm, she reminisced back to that day in China. Everything had changed after that. She and Ron never discussed what happened to them at the Great Trial with anyone else, not even Nana or Sensei, even though she knew those two were acutely aware of what they had gone through. But they never pressed the issue, knowing themselves how traumatic it must have been because of what happened in their own lives. There was no need. After all, they had to keep their own secrets for a very long time and understood the responsibilities of doing so. Even more, Kim could sense they didn't mind passing the burdens of the Prophecy on to the next generation, and didn't want to have to know what other duties the current incarnation of the Dragon had to perform.

And there was Shego, a part of it in a way she didn't even know about, one-time arch-enemy, now dear friend, colleague, sister in all but by blood.

And the blood part would be coming. So much, so much had come to pass. But the most surprising ties that would bind them together, those that already had been realized, and others yet to come, started with a misnamed synthodrone.

* * *

It was a little over two years after Shego's change when Wade finally found him. She and Ron were juniors in college, and Team Possible had developed into an international crime fighting force unequaled in history, going strong. At the first of the fall semester, Ron had formally gathered the Possible family in their den and went down on one knee, asking Kim to marry him. She said yes, of course, much to her family's delight, especially her mother who practically squealed with happiness, and he presented her with a very elegant engagement ring. The tweebs, of course, just rolled their eyes with bored looks on their faces, but kept quiet. The wedding was set for after graduation. Afterwards, she had started looking at wedding gowns on the web. She didn't dare go shopping for one, as the reporters would have a field day. As she scrolled through them, the Kimmunicator beeped.

"What's the sitch, Wade?"

"I found him, Kim! I found him!"

"Uh, found who, Wade?"

"Eric!"

A cold shiver went through her. Stunned that she had completely forgotten, it came back to her that Wade's promise to find Eric without breaking a sweat didn't exactly pan out. He had looked hard then, but came up empty. After awhile, Kim just put that idea away, trusting that somehow the Prophecy would manifest itself in some way to answer that question. But now that it had occurred, she was awestruck again at the enormity of it all, of the power of the Prophecy to guide the future.

"Wow, Wade!", she said, "How'd you do it? Especially after all this time."

"Because now I know why I couldn't find him before!", he said effusively, "He erased any record of his present existence for the last three years! It was easy enough to find his old high school records and military service, but after that, there was nothing. He changed his name and completely disappeared! But he had a good reason for it. Since he's now ex-military and became a sort of mercenary, he had to wipe any record of himself off the books to be able to work."

"A mercenary?", asked Kim, suddenly frowning..

"That's right. He's..."

"Oh, no.", Kim interrupted, "I don't like the sound of that, Wade."

This worried her. In her experience, mercenaries tended to be fairly unscrupulous types.

"No, it's okay!", said Wade, noting her concern, "He's actually one of the good ones! He's an independent, but has worked with Interpol and Global Justice. He helps bring in the bad guys!"

"Really?", she asked with a surprised look.

"Yeah! Look, I know most of these types usually are fighting for the bad guys. But he's not one of them!"

She smiled, relieved, "That's great! Okay, then I want you to set up a meet. Just him and me."

"I'll probably have to contact Global Justice and do it through them."

"Fine by me, Wade."

"Okay, I'll let you know when it's done."

"Great! And Wade,", she added, "don't tell anybody else about this for now, okay?"

Wade nodded, "Gotcha, Kim. I understand."

It only took Wade a week to get it done. He beeped her back and told her of the time and place, which was at GJ headquarters the next day. This didn't give her much time to think about what she would say, and when she arrived at Global Justice Headquarters at the agreed upon time through the underground tube system, she was still deep in thought, worrying about how he might react to what she wanted to discuss with him. After all, she had no idea what he was like, or even if she had guessed right in the first place. The Prophecy never specified how Shego would have a son, or who the father would be, but it certainly made sense that this was the most likely way.

'Who knows?' she thought, 'Maybe it would only happen because I know she would have a son. If I didn't know, it might be she wouldn't have...'

She quietly growled, frustrated at the paradox and muttering to herself, "This is why I still so hate Time Travel!"

Shaking it off, she dropped those perplexing thoughts in favor of trying to figure out again exactly what to say to him. But even after arriving in GJ headquarters, she still couldn't settle on how to start by the time Dr. Director appeared.

"Welcome, Kim.", she said smiling, "It's always good to see you."

She shook her hand and replied, "Always good to see you too, Dr. Director."

"Your 'friend' is waiting in Debriefing Room Five down the hall. He's a good man. He just helped us bust up an opium smuggling ring out of Afghanistan."

"Yeah, I've heard that's what he does.

"I almost couldn't get him to stay. He refuses usually to meet anyone he doesn't have to meet. It keeps his cover safe."

"Really? So how did you convince him?"

"I didn't have to. As soon as he heard it was you, he changed his mind."

Kim smiled back, "I see. Well, thanks for getting him over here and letting me see him."

"It's the least I could do after you saved us from Dr. Drakken."

"Hey, no big. Glad to help, you know."

Dr. Director returned her smile and turned to leave, "I have some things to do. Let me know if you need anything further."

"I will. Thanks, again."

Dr. Director waved at her as she disappeared around a corner. Kim stood there looking down the corridor until she found the small sign indicating the debriefing room as operatives walked briskly about her attending to business. Making her way there, she paused in front of the door, taking a deep breath, and hoping Shego wouldn't kill her for doing this. But she knew she had to do it. She knocked on the door, then opened it.

Inside she found a man standing at the far end of the room with his back to her. He was dressed in fatigues and combat boots, looking like he just came back from the covert mission Dr. Director had mentioned. He was tall with short brown hair, almost a crew cut. His physique was impressive, being strongly muscled, apparent even through his loose clothing.

But it was when he turned, her eyes went wide.

She gasped, as she realized she was right. It really was Eric. True, he was grown now, not the high school teenager, and his hair was cut much shorter, but there was no question now exactly upon whom the synthodrone had been based. Obviously when Drakken was considering how to make the drone, Shego must have given him all the details. It was so ironic.

She stood there, very still and quiet, drinking in the sight of this man. Momentarily, old memories came back to her, first some wonderful ones, and the bad ones, too, although they no longer hurt her like they used to do. After all, this was not the synthodrone who betrayed her. If it was possible, Kim found him even more beautiful than when she saw him as the teenage impostor. But as she stood there immobile, staring at him, she realized that was as far as it went. She felt nothing further, and was glad she had gotten over it so long ago.

"Ms. Possible?", he said tentatively when she didn't speak right away, "I understand you requested a meeting with me?"

He even sounded the same, she thought, also noting he had come straight to the point.

Rousing herself out of her momentary fugue, she replied, "Uh, yes, I did. I want to ask you some questions, and I hope you will be kind enough to let me."

She sighed, glad she got that much out. He gave her a curious look.

"What kind of questions?", he asked, frowning, "If this is about my operation in Afghanistan, I'm afraid that's classified, even for you, not that I wouldn't trust you, but..."

"Yes, I know", she answered, "It helps keep your identity secret."

"That's right. But if you get clearance, I'll be glad to discuss certain parts of the operation it if you need—"

"That's okay.", she interrupted, "Because as far as your identity goes, I already know... ...Eric."

He frowned harder at her, concerned, "So you know my real name. There must be a leak..."

Then he stared at her with narrowed eyes as he added, "...or more likely your ComIntel chief is simply that good."

Kim smiled at him disarmingly.

"No, Eric, there's no leak.", she assured him, "Although it is true Wade is that good. But we found your security measures are extremely sophisticated too. It took him more than two years to track you down, and he wasn't the one who knew your name."

"Thanks,", he replied, a little more relaxed, though not completely, "So, if he didn't find out who I was..."

"Actually, ", Kim said, "It was a lucky guess. It's because, well, this is personal. I'm doing this for someone who is like a sister to me."

He nodded, looking away with a bemused and knowing look, "I see... ...Shego."

Mildly surprised, she replied, "You know?"

He looked back at her, "Ms. Possible..."

"Please, call me Kim."

"Okay, Kim. So Shego told you about me. Is that what this is about?"

Kim shook her head, "No, it's not like that. Like I said, it was a lucky guess on my part. Shego refuses to ever talk about you in any way, and only let slip some information one time a couple of years ago that led me to be able to find you. But I'm a little surprised you knew she was the one I wanted to talk to you about."

Eric nodded and said with a smirk, "Yeah, that sounds like her all right. As to my knowing, it was a simple conclusion. You're not exactly unknown in the business, you know. Team Possible has made its mark felt worldwide, and even when you worked back in your high school days, your fame always preceded you. The grapevine makes it easy to know what's going on with your organization. Also, as leader of Team Go, I know Shego works with you, acting as head of the team as a subsidiary outfit supporting the main Team Possible unit. It's a logical deduction."

"Yeah, I can see how that could be.", she answered, "But you also seem to be pretty up to date on my personnel roster."

"It's not exactly privileged information."

"True. But I still sense you know more than what would casually be picked up over the grapevine."

His jaw tightened before he answered, "If you're asking whether or not I've actively kept up with what she's doing, the answer is yes."

She smiled, "Good. You're a straight shooter. I like that."

"Only way to be as far as I'm concerned."

"Glad to hear it. Then I would like to ask you why you're still so interested in her."

His eyebrows knitted together, obviously not liking the question.

Staring, he asked, "Does she know you're doing this?"

Kim blanched slightly, holding her ground as she replied, "No, she doesn't."

"I believe that. I don't think she would have approved you being here making these inquiries."

"You're probably right. But I felt I still had to do it."

He frowned again, saying, "Then, to be honest, it's really none of your business. It's purely personal and should stay that way."

Kim nodded slightly as she replied, "You're right. It really isn't any of my business. But I want you to understand that I'm not asking you because of something I want. I'm asking you because I care about her, very deeply. As I said, she is like a sister to me."

"That's pretty amazing considering you both were once the deadliest of arch-foes."

"And even more amazing we've turned it around to being so close now.", she answered with a soft smile, "Look, I want you to know she really is like a big sister to me, and I love her dearly. All I'm asking is for you to tell me you don't have any feelings for her, that whatever you both had years ago is finished and I'll drop it right here and now. Say you don't care for her the way you used to... ...and I'm gone."

Eric's eyes bored into her with clear discomfort, and his jaws started to grind again, but he said nothing for the moment. He turned away and looked at the wall, frozen there, fidgeting for half a minute before he finally answered her.

"Shego and I met in high school as freshmen.", he started out in a resigned tone, "We fell for each other, hard. We were inseparable. I can't tell you how happy she made me. You might not know this, but her family got hit by a comet several years before we met, when they were just kids. That's how they got their powers. So, when I met her she already had her green plasma blasts and was actually perfecting her abilities to use them. You see, their powers did not immediately manifest after they were hit. It took time to develop them, both for her and her brothers. It was right about when we entered high school, when they had enough control of their powers, that her big brother formed Team Go, and they began to be the super-heroes for Go City. I couldn't have been happier for her at the time. But she started to change."

His voice became hard edged.

"She got drunk with her power, lost on this huge 'ego trip'. Hego always had this grand vision of being a hero and protecting his home town from the villains, and it was a vision that Shego shared with him enthusiastically. They started working Go City and protecting it from all the criminals and other riff raff and she positively reveled in it. But she got so cocky and arrogant, so persistently angry about any little thing that went wrong, and it kept getting worse. By the time we were seniors, she was a completely different person. I didn't even recognize her anymore...

"She used to be such a popular girl, but by then hardly anybody liked her with that angry mood of hers. She resented it too, which only made her worse. By the time we graduated I knew it was over. I already had made plans to join the Marines, and I told her then I was leaving."

Kim said sadly, "She didn't take that well, did she?"

"No.", he answered just as sadly, "I broke her heart, and mine as well, too. Then it got even worse. When I heard she became a villain and had joined your arch-nemesis, Dr. Drakken, I almost went AWOL to find her, to make her see what she was doing was so wrong. I'm not bragging, but I'm good at what I do."

"Yes.", replied Kim, "I've checked you out. Your references are outstanding."

He was still facing away from her, but she could see him smirk nonetheless.

"I figured you did.", he continued, "I almost went out there to find her. But when I thought about it, I was sure I wouldn't be able to convince her, knowing her mind set, and I wasn't going to be able to force her, because she can still take me down with her powers. So I didn't do it. It almost broke me to not go, but somehow I managed to carry on."

He turned and faced her then, smiling.

"I hope you don't mind my saying this, but I can appreciate you're the best in the business because you were the only one who could almost always could take her down. I know how good she really is in a fight."

Kim smiled back and said, "Thanks. That's really nice coming from a fellow professional."

"You're welcome." , he replied, "You don't know how ecstatic I was when I heard she had reformed and joined your organization. I was glad, really glad. I figured if anyone could rehabilitate her, it would be you, and I want to thank you for that, from the bottom of my heart. That's the reason I agreed to see you."

"Thank you.", she replied, nodding her head with a slight smile. She studied him for a moment, wanting to be very careful with her next question..

"Eric.", she said slowly, "Do you still love her?"

His smile faded and the tenseness in his jaws returned.

"Kim, I will always love her.", he said solemnly, "But she's not the same person I fell in love with back then. I don't imagine just because you rehabilitated her back to being a good guy that her personality is much different, if at all. It's not the same. We're not the same anymore."

Kim's face softened, feeling the despair of his words.

"Maybe.", she replied, "We all change as we get older, Eric. My fiancée once told me that it's adapting to those changes that makes love endure, to understand that love's greatest strength comes from one's character more then anything else, and I think he's right."

"You're engaged?, he said with another smile, "I didn't know. Congratulations!"

"Thank you.", Kim replied joyfully, her face truly beaming, "We just recently got engaged, and keeping the news secret for now. The news services would just bury us. Uh, by the way I hope that you'll keep it under your hat, too"

"Of course I will!", Eric replied joyfully, "You can count on me to keep the secret... ...uh, Mr. Stoppable, right?"

Kim nodded, her face showing her own happiness.

"I think that's just wonderful.", Eric said sincerely with a toothy grin, "I wish you all the best."

Thank you very much.", repeated Kim serenely, "But, Eric... ...Please, let me ask you why you think Shego changed? Why do you think she became someone different than the girl you fell in love with?"

He lost his smile again and looked at her with a somewhat blank expression, nothing readable on his face. Kim could see this was difficult for him. Also, she could appreciate that an operative like him had to have control of facial expressions in crucial situations, so as not to betray his actions, when needed. As she thought about it, the fact he had initially reacted at all showed how strongly he felt about Shego.

He shook his head, looking exasperated, and all he could do was shrug and answer, "People change, Kim. That's the only thing it can be."

She said, "But what if the change was due to something else? What if the cause could be discovered and fixed, so that the person she was could come back?"

He could not help but react to that. His eyes focused a little harder and widened slightly.

"What do you mean, Ms. Possible?... ...Kim? You called me a straight shooter and I am. But I expect the same from those with whom I would associate, especially when you tell me something like that."

"You're right.", she said, "Why don't we sit down? There's something I think you deserve to know."

Kim told Eric all about Shego's tumor, detailing the history of her battles with Shego during her senior year at Middleton High. Although Shego's employment status with Team Possible and Team Go was not privileged information, her medical records were, so nobody outside the top personnel of those organizations knew what had happened to her. She explained how after the tumor had been removed that Shego's personality had come back, that she had regained her conscience and good humor and was no longer angry. She told him that even her brothers had said she was her old self again from before the time she went to high school.

All he could do was stare wide eyed and look off in the distance, his mind going through the ramifications of what had just been revealed to him.

"It was a brain tumor?", he whispered, almost shell shocked, "Such a simple thing to wreck us?"

"Yeah, that simple."

He blinked and slowly shook his head, marveling at the vagaries of Fate that had played him those cards. He looked back at Kim.

"You realize you just broke every HIPAA law in the country telling me this."

Nonchalant, she shrugged, "Yeah. Are you going to turn me in?"

He smirked and said, "Obviously you knew I wouldn't, or you wouldn't have told me."

"Exactly.", she replied, grinning, "Look, I've found out what I needed to know. She has not ever said a thing about you to me or anyone else except as...", using air quotes, "'a boy she knew from school', and then only when I can get her to talk about you at all, which is almost never. But I can tell you one thing. I don't believe for one second she has ever gotten over you."

He looked flabbergasted, "My God... ...my God... ...I was so sure she would have by now."

"She denies it of course, but she doesn't hide it very well."

"No, she never could.", he said with a grin, "She always had her heart on her sleeve. But how did you know exactly it was me?"

"Long story. I'll tell you some time. But as to her, how do you feel about seeing her again?"

He took a deep breath and let it out, "I don't know. It's been so long. I don't know if anything's possible."

She smirked, thinking, "Just check my name.", but didn't say it.

Instead, she said, "I'm not asking for a miracle here, Eric. I just feel you both deserve a chance to work out something that was stolen from you years ago. It's almost Christmas. My family always has Christmas celebration at my parents' house and she'll be there. I think you should come."

He looked at her, slightly uncomfortable, but still intensely interested.

"You realize this could all backfire and she's really going to be very, very cranked you did this, not to mention how she'll react to me."

She looked at him with a straight face and said in a serious tone, "Oh... ...yeah, and then she'll probably trounce me in our workout sessions on the training room floor and beat me into pulp every time out of pure irritation for the next three months, at the very least. But, who knows? It might work out for the best."

"I see.", he said with a chuckle, "Well, since you obviously put yourself in harm's way."

"You have nooooo idea...", she replied smiling and rolling her eyes.

"Okay, I'll be there. Just tell me where and when."

* * *

The Christmas celebration was well underway at the Possible house. The presents had already been opened earlier in the day and now everyone was getting ready to settle down to Christmas dinner. Of course, the entire family was there along with Ron and his parents. Since the engagement, they had become more a part of their future in-laws' life. Even Uncle Slim and Nana had come. Jim and Tim, now seniors, were there with their girlfriends from high school. Jos, also a senior, was captain of the varsity cheer squad. She had a boyfriend she had been seeing for about a year and a half, but he couldn't make it to the celebration this season. Shego and her brothers had flown in to make the party, so it was a full house when they sat down to eat.

Afterwards, the dishes were cleared off and the table cleaned. Dr. Possible and his brother were in a deep discussion about cybertronics as the tweebs played Jos on video games. Their girlfriends watched, amused that Jos was beating them handily. Shego's brothers were off in one corner discussing their most recent mission, something Hego always enjoyed doing. Some of the Possible neighbors had come by to wish them a Merry Christmas and they had brought their two small children, both toddlers. As Kim and her mother conversed with the parents, Shego engaged herself in playing with the kids. Kim noted she was really enjoying herself with them.

She saw something moving outside the living room window. Always alert to danger Kim immediately, but subtly, scanned the porch. It took her a few seconds, but she finally spotted what it was, or rather who it was.

It was Eric, blending in with the shadows. He wasn't hiding actually, just naturally staying inconspicuous. It was already getting dark, so it was hard to see anyway. He stood very still, just watching, following Shego as she played with the kids, and it struck Kim just how he was looking at her with such emotion. She could see his eyes shine in the dark, as if he had rediscovered the secret to ecstasy or bliss. Still, she was impressed how hard it was to see him at all. Of course, it only made sense he could hide like a ninja, being who he was. Her estimation of his abilities was vindicated when, even as he was watching Shego, he sensed he was being watched. He looked over at Kim and nodded slightly, confirming that.

Kim returned her attention back to the neighbors just as they got ready to go. They gathered up their children and left after a hearty round of "Merry Christmas" by everyone. Kim came over to Shego as she waved goodbye from the living room area to the kids. Her mother went back to the kitchen, leaving them alone, Shego smiling contentedly from the lazyboy at Kim as she stretched out on the couch. They could hear the sounds of enjoyment of the party in the back, and this allowed them a moment of quiet respite.

"You had fun with those kids.", Kim said.

"Yeah.", the older woman replied contentedly, a beatific smile on her face, "They were really cute."

Having created the opening, Kim continued.

"Hmmm, I hope my kids will be that cute."

Shego chuckled, "Hey, Princess, I don't think you'll have to worry about that. Between you and the sidekick, your kids'll be gorgeous! Of course, most of it will come from your side of the family, ya' know."

Kim laughed, "Maybe, Shego. But if you had kids, they'd look great, too."

Shego got up and stretched.

"Not me, Kimmie.", she replied as she yawned, " I'll just play with yours. That way I can have all the fun and you can have all the responsibilities."

"I thought that was what grandparents did."

"Sisters, too.", she replied with a sly grin and another chuckle.

She sat down again in the Lazyboy facing Kim, her back to the front door.

"Anyway,", she continued, "Kids would just interfere with the job."

"Oh?", Kim said with some amusement, "You think they'll interfere with my job if I have them?"

"Oh, no, Kimmie.", she replied with false gravity, "My having kids would interfere with my job."

She laughed heartily at that.

Kim snorted, "Now that's just so not true!"

"Whatever.", Shego answered humorously, "I stand by that."

"Yeah, right!", Kim replied in tacit contradiction.

Shego smiled, still laughing quietly as she relaxed for the moment, closing her eyes and enjoying the Lazyboy after a good dinner. Kim took that moment to surreptitiously signal Eric to come in. He nodded understanding and came forward towards the front door.

"You know, Shego.", she said tentatively, "I still have a Christmas present to give you."

Shego opened her eyes, looking at her suspiciously, "What? Now wait a minute! If you're going to give me any more of those stupid Bueno Nacho bonus bucks..."

"Oh, no! Shego!", Kim said quickly, distressed that her fiancée was still doing that, "I wouldn't dare. And I've already talked to Ron about that. He won't be giving any more of those out at Christmas. I've laid down the law on that."

"Finally! Glad to hear it! I thought you cured him of that last Christmas."

"So did I.", Kim grumbled, "But no, I have something else to... ...sort of give you. The only problem is that I don't know if you're going to thank me... ...or kill me."

Shego sat up in the Lazyboy, lasering Kim with a wondering look.

"Oy, Princess. What have you gone and done now?"

"Well... ...please, Shego, understand that I'm doing this out of love."

By this time, Eric had slipped in the front door without making a sound. Kim noted how good he was at it. He stood directly behind Shego, who was looking more and more irritated.

"Okay, princess. Come on, out with it! First, this talk about kids and now a Christmas present?"

Eric then spoke and said, "I think she just wanted to say what a great parent you would be."

Shego gasped in pure surprise and shot up from the lazyboy, backing away from Eric, the shock plastered on her face.

"Wha—? What!? Eric! _What are you doing here?"_

Then she understood.

She looked at Kim wide-eyed, "Oh!... ...No! You didn't, Princess! Tell me you didn't!"

Kim bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling, the guilt clearly etched on her face.

As she feared, Shego's face turned red as she became enraged.

"Ohhhhh! You are so dead, sister! God! I ought to kick your butt so far up the wall!—"

"Hey! Don't blame her.", Eric interrupted, "I wanted to come! I've always wanted to see you again!"

She glared at Eric angrily, "Oh yeah? The last time I saw you, you dropped me like a sack of dirt! You said you couldn't handle being around me anymore!"

"That's right.", he said, "I couldn't handle how you had changed. But that never changed the fact I always wanted to see you. And now that I understand that things are different, that your 'change' has been fixed!..."

Taken aback, Shego had a look on her face halfway between uncertainty and rage. Still wide-eyed, she glanced back and forth between the two of them.

"You told him about the tumor?", she asked in disbelief.

Kim faced her with a clenched jaw, "Yeah, I did."

"Why!?", she moaned wretchedly.

"Because when I found out how he felt about you, I knew he deserved to know."

Getting angry again, Shego hissed, "You had no right!", trying to keep her voice down.

"Hey! I gave her that right!", returned Eric, "I have the right to know what happened to you!"

"No, you don't! It's no longer any of your business!"

"Isn't it, Shego? Isn't it?"

Shego froze, breathing heavily with tension, still enraged, unable to move or immediately answer him. Her mouth moved as if trying to answer him, but nothing came out. He spoke again before she could.

Eric went on, "You know, I stood outside that window for quite a while. I saw you laughing and smiling. I saw you play with those kids as tenderly as if you were their mother. I remember the Shego I fell in love with was that person, not the bitter, angry, self-righteous demigod I left at the end of high school!"

Shego went into stunned silence, tears falling from her eyes. His words crushed her, making her unable to respond. Kim stayed absolutely still and silent, not sure how Shego would react to her just then.

"I saw the real you again tonight.", he continued in a softer voice, "Do you know how many times I have longed, even ached for that? Can you imagine how many times I have wished and prayed for some miracle to bring that girl back to me? Don't you think I had a right to know?"

Shego's tears continued to run down her cheeks, her face anguished.

"Kim tells me this was all resolved over two years ago, and you still didn't try to find me!"

"Why should I?", she finally said, crying, "You were the one who left me!"

"But you realized what happened. You knew why I left. You knew it was possible for us to be together again. Why didn't you tell me?"

She tried to answer him, her anger still trying to find fault in him, but she lost the battle, and no sound came from her throat.

"Why, Shego?", he asked softly.

She bit back a sob, her voice reduced to a whisper, "I couldn't, Eric! I... ...I just couldn't."

She lost it, an incredibly forlorn, defeated look taking over her features. She couldn't face him any longer. Emotionally drained, she turned and walked away toward the front door, breaking down and crying harder. Kim's heart was breaking with hers, and she couldn't stand by any longer. She sprang up and ran in front of her, but Shego tried to shake her off, trying to go around and outside, obviously still angry with her. But Kim persisted, not letting her go, until Shego just gave up and let Kim take her into her arms and hug her strongly, just letting Shego lean on her. Her 'sister' no longer held back, crying silently on her shoulder, shuddering as Kim stroked her hair. When she settled down a bit, Kim let go and faced her, still holding her hands.

"How could you do this to me, Kim?... ... Why?", she asked, wracked with pain, her face wretched again.

"Shego.", said Kim quietly, "I never intended to hurt you, or cause you pain. I didn't think you'd react like this. But I love you, sis. I did this because you are worth it. You still feel guilty for driving him away. I'm telling you now it's not your fault. It never was."

Shego managed to settle down more and regain some control. She wiped her face dry of tears and took a deep breath, but still was crying.

"I... ...I understand that.", she said between small sobs, "It's just that... ...I guess it takes a while for that to sink in, to really feel it, you know. But you shouldn't have done this without talking to me first!"

Kim shook her head, "You never would have agreed. You know that. I know that."

Shego just looked at her mournfully, unable to deny it.

Kim smiled and said, " Shego, I just want my sister to have everything she deserves, including a love as strong as mine for Ron. I know how you feel about him."

Shego still looked so distraught, that lost look etched into her face.

Eric came up and held out his hand to her. He said quietly, "Come with me, Shego. Please. Let's just start by talking. We'll take a long walk outside. Okay?"

She looked at him, her eyes surprisingly full of innocence, a look Eric had not seen in a very long time. Shego was unsure, not knowing what to expect, and fearing it. And fear was something Shego rarely ever felt. Eric smiled, glad to see that innocence again, remembering it in her eyes years before when he had first seen her as a freshman in high school, so new, so wonderful. Gazing at him, Shego timidly held out her hand and allowed him to take it. Slowly, he led her to the front door, went over the threshold with her, then closed it silently behind him. Kim followed to the front window. She crossed her arms and watched as they went slowly down the sidewalk, and her eyes glistened, smiling from a pure joy that almost made her cry.

"Merry Christmas, sister.", she said softly to the window.

Her mother came into the room and looked outside to see what she was watching, spotting Shego walking away with Eric.

"Who was that, dear? Is that somebody Shego brought with her?"

Kim said, "Uh, not quite, Mom. That was an old friend of hers from high school."

"Really? Anyone we know?"

"Sort of..."

Her mother stared at her with a perplexed look, but Kim kept smiling and didn't elaborate any further.

* * *

The next morning Kim went down for breakfast, yawning as she entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, dear.", said her mother, busy with making the meal.

" G' morning, Mom.", Kim replied, "Anyone else up?"

"No, not yet. It's early still.", her mother said.

"Okay. I think I'll just have some cereal today."

"That's fine, honey."

Kim pulled the cereal box out of the cupboard and was pouring it into a bowl when she heard the front door open. There were people talking. Her mother looked up, curious as well.

"I'll go see, Mom."

Dr. Possible smiled and turned her attention back to the cooking. Kim went into the living room and saw two people at the front door. She stopped dead still, her eyes wide.

It was Shego and Eric, and just as she entered, she saw Eric embrace her, kiss her very tenderly, and say 'bye'. As he left, she slowly closed the door after him, gently shutting it. For a moment, she just stood there, deep in thought, her eyes not moving from the door, and the most beatific smile came over her face as she turned. It disappeared when she saw Kim standing there, but Kim had seen it. That look on her face said it all to Kim. It said hope.

"You were out all night?", Kim asked, surprise in her voice.

Shego smiled again, "Yeah. We were. It was good."

"But it was pretty cold."

Her 'big sis' chuckled and replied, "Hey! What good is having green plasma if you can't keep yourself warm?"

"Oh, yeah... ... are you okay?"

Shego nodded silently, still smiling.

"I'm so sorry, sis..."

"Uh-uh!", Shego snorted, cutting her off, raising her palms up to signal her to stop talking. Her face seemed to register disapproval, but then she grinned mischievously.

"Princess.", she said in an amused manner, "I swear to Heaven above I ought to blast you into the next continent for this little stunt. You took one big gamble to pull it off. But I gotta tell you. You did good."

"You sure?"

Shego walked over to her, gazing at her with a look of pure pleasure, her features seriously thankful. Her eyes said it all, glowing with gratitude. She embraced Kim in a close hug.

"Yeah, little sister, I'm sure.", she said softly, "And thank you. Thank you so much."

Kim relaxed and hugged her back joyfully, relieved that Shego was okay with it.

"No big, big sis.", she replied.

"Wrong, Princess,", Shego replied, "Way big. I'll never forget it. You were right. I never would have agreed. I was too... ...ashamed from everything I'd done."

"I know, sis.", Kim said, still hugging her strongly, "I know."

She released Kim, still smiling, then got a curious look on her face, "How'd you know?"

"Know what?"

"About Eric?"

"Oh. When you told me you had named him."

"Who?"

"Synthodrone 901."

Shego glanced off to one side, trying to remember, then the light went on in her eyes.

"Oh, yeah! You figured that out just from that?"

Kim chuckled.

"Well, it didn't make that much sense to me for you to give it its name unless there was some special meaning. After all, you and Drakken meant for the drone to basically make me fall for it and then have it lure me in and betray me..."

"Well, you did fall for him pretty hard.", Shego interrupted with a smirk and a chuckle, "Are you sure you still don't want him?... A little side action maybe?"

"Shego!", Kim answered in an appalled tone as her big sis started laughing, "Shame on you! Yes, he is absolutely drop dead gorgeous, even more so than in high school! I admit it! But you know Ron's the only one for me!"

"I know! I know!", replied Shego, still laughing, "Sorry! Couldn't resist! But I still don't see how you connected that to me."

"Well, you had already told me about the 'boy' you loved in high school, you know." Kim said in a more relaxed mood, appreciating the joke.

She continued, "It wasn't that hard to see that maybe you would play this ironic joke on your arch-foe. Take the boy who betrayed you and then have him do the same to me as a synthodrone. I figured you must have given Eric's characteristics to Drakken to create it."

Shego looked thoughtfully at her and shook her head in wonder, "You are good, sister."

"Hey, I have my moments.", Kim replied with a smirk.

"A lot of them, I would say.", Shego said respectfully, "You're right. But not completely. It was actually all Drakken's idea. He knew about Eric and thought I would get a kick out of having a fake Eric do the same thing to you that he did to me, just like you said. But he didn't tell me a thing about it."

"What? He didn't tell you?", Kim asked incredulously.

"You know how whack he is like that!", she said, rolling her eyes, "No, he didn't tell me about it at first. In fact, he wouldn't tell me anything about his 'Diablo' scheme because he thought that if I couldn't figure out his plan, you couldn't either. He didn't tell me until that last night at Bueno Nacho Headquarters."

"Well, he was right on that score! I had to beat him the hard way."

"Oh, yeah.", Shego said in agreement, nodding, "One time he asked me if I had a picture of Eric. Despite how angry I felt about Eric deserting me, I still had one, so I showed it to him. I asked why, but he said he was just curious, and I just didn't think about it any further. Of course that was where he got the look, but somehow he managed to get the voice just right, too. I have no idea how he did that! But like I said, I didn't know about the synthodrone until that night at the prom. While you were out destroying the command signal tower at the Middleton Bueno Nacho, I went and picked up '901' at the dance and brought him back to the headquarters. You can imagine the shock I had when I first saw him!"

"Ouch! I'll just bet!"

"Gah! I was so ready to kill Drakken at the time!", Shego fumed, "But by the time I got back to Bueno Nacho headquarters, I had gotten to interact with the drone a little. He was so much like the real Eric. His personality was a little different, but still...

Her eyes glazed, remembering it, but soon brought herself back and continued.

"When I got back, I wasn't angry about that anymore. Well, I was angry about everything, mainly you, so that kind of took over. But Drakken told me he thought he was doing me a favor! He just loved the irony of it, that it was only right for the guy who betrayed me, to be the same one who betrayed you! I have to admit, I admired his deviousness."

"So, that's why you said after you had taken me out of the picture, you were thinking of dating him!", Kim replied in amazement.

"Yeah,", she said with a chuckle, "I sort of went along with the joke. Of course, Drakken actually named him, so I was only indirectly responsible for that, however..."

She sighed thoughtfully, adding, "But the real Eric didn't really betray me. I know that now."

Kim smiled, then got a puzzled look, "How did you know I would fall for him?"

Shego shrugged, "It was an educated guess by Drakken, or so he told me. He always followed which guys you were interested in, trying to find a way to use that against you. When he asked me about the boys you dated, I told him I approved of every one of your choices. I have to admit you have fine taste. Your dates were all hunks! He said we seemed to have the same tastes in men, and he was right... ...except for the sidekick..."

They chuckled at that as Shego went on, "I think he figured that you would feel the same way about my choices."

Kim nodded, "I see. And now that you and Eric have met again..."

She smiled, her eyes shining again, "Gosh, we talked all night. I told him everything about what has happened to me ever since high school. I found out he spent six years in the marines, became a navy SEAL, then did some combined special forces duty. He spent a lot of time doing black ops work. Two and a half years ago, he left military service and became an independent operator, a mercenary. But he uses his skills to rescue kidnapped children, break up dope rings, and stuff like that."

"Definitely a good guy."

"Oh, definitely that! He's always been a straight arrow. That's one of the things I... ... that I..."

"...that you love about him.", added Kim with a knowing smile.

Shego blinked in surprise, her face reddening a bit, but then she smiled too and nodded, "Yeah... ...I do... ...I really do love him."

Taking her hands in hers, Kim returned her smile with one shining in pure joy for her sister, "I am so glad for you, sis".

Shego's eyes brimmed with tears as she continued.

"You know, I told him everything, everything I did when I was evil, and it didn't phase him one bit. That's when he told me he still loved me, too."

"And now?"

Shego blushed hard, and Kim gasped. She could see that even through the green tinge of her skin.

She said, smiling even wider, "He's moving back to Go City. I think we're both being cautious, but we're going to try again."

Kim gave a small yelp of delight and hugged Shego again. Shego returned the hug, laughing with her.

"By the way, I invited him to the wedding, if that's okay..."

Kim smiled beautifically at that, "Of course, Shego! I would absolutely love to have him come.."

Then Kim looked at her askance, a playful look on her face, "...as long as Ron and I can come to yours."

Shego blushed as they both chuckled.

"Yeah, sure," she answered, still embarrassed, "I mean, I don't know if that's going to happen, you know. Eric and I... ...you know, we'll have to see... ...maybe so, but yeah. If it happens, I want you to come... ...as long as you'll be... ... As long as... ...would you..."

"Yes, Shego?", asked Kim.

She looked up at Kim, her lips drawn tight, her face anxious.

"Kimmie,", she asked very quietly, "If I do ever get married, would you be... ...my maid of honor."

Kim had a sharp intake of breath, her mouth open in surprise, "Oh, God, Shego, yes! Yes! It would be my honor!"

"Thanks.", Shego muttered, ducking her head, still red-faced. But she had a big smile on her face as Kim gathered her back into a loving hug, laughing joyously.

When they let go, Shego said with some amused testiness, "Are you going to make this your mission in life? To take care of me? You know how I hate being mothered!"

"Hey! Somebody's gotta keep you from turning evil again!"

"Oh, yeah? We'll see about that next session when I will kick your butt."

Kim gaped at her, surprised, "I thought you were okay with what I did!"

"Didn't say that! I said you did good. I didn't say I wasn't going to blast you anyway. Do you have any idea how much you embarrassed me? I will never live this down!"

Shaking her finger at Shego, she spouted, "You are so the ingrate! I ought to..."

Shego blocked her arm aside, laughing, "You are a Nosy Parker, Possible!"

Kim's jaw dropped in shock, "Why, you!", and then whirled, executing a leg sweep.

Shego yelped, nimbly hopping out of the way, then jumped back in after Kim followed up with a side kick. Shego sidestepped her and grabbed her leg, whipping her down to the ground with a Judo throw, but Kim managed to grab her by her arms and returned the favor, sprawling her on the living room floor. She sat up grinning and lit her right hand up with green plasma, though at very minimal force.

"Hey!", shouted Kim, "No fair!"

"Like they say, Princess! All's fair in love and..."

"Shego!"

Startled, they both stopped, unmoving, looking up at Dr. Possible just then coming in from the kitchen. She looked at both girls with a very disapproving frown, wiping her hands down with a kitchen towel...

"Uh. Yes, Dr. P?"

"How many times have I told you? No power blasts in the house! The last time you did that I had to repaint the hallway!"

"Not to mention...", muttered Kim to herself.

"Not to mention!...", her mother exclaimed loudly, interrupting, "Replacing half the roof the time before that! If you two are going to rough house, take it outside!"

"Uh, right, Dr. P. Mybad.", Shego said, definitely embarrassed.

"Me too, Mom. Sorry.", Kim mumbled, looking just as red.

"I swear! You two are worse than the boys! And at your ages you should know better!"

With a growl she turned on her heel and strode out of the room..

They sat there on the carpet staring at her back as she walked away until she disappeared into the kitchen. Then they looked at each other for a few seconds before bursting into a giggle fit. It took them a good minute to get over it before Kim came over and helped Shego up.

"I'm still going to get you, little sister!", she said, still giggling.

"Shush! You know the rules. No power blasts during our training sessions!"

"Well, I claim, what do the lawyers say? Oh yeah, mitigating circumstances!"

"Oh, you do, huh?", said Kim in mock outrage, "Well then, just bring it on, sister!"

They tried to stare each other down, and broke down laughing.

Looking very satisfied, Kim said, "Come on. Let's get some breakfast."

"Straight up, sis.", replied Shego, grinning and putting an arm around her shoulder as they followed Kim's mother into the kitchen.

* * *

The reporter said enthusiastically, "That is such a great story. You were arch-enemies and in time, you managed to change her and make her one of your greatest allies and friends."

"She's more than that to me now. She really is like my older sister. But you're wrong. You can't really change anybody from who they really are. I only made it possible for the real Shego to come through."

"So how did Team Possible develop after that?"

"I couldn't have asked for better help. Shego and Team Go developed into an outstanding extension of the primary team. They have always been great additions on combined missions. Many of the members of Team Possible are graduates of the Yamanuchi school, and Sensei is an honorary team operative and instructor for our team members. Ron has continued to develop the financial stability of Team Possible so that we are completely and financially independent. Thank heaven! Dad has a full technical staff that is full of researchers who are working on the most advanced top secret rocket science and technical stuff on the planet and my brothers Jim and Tim are working there, too. Dad still contributes to the space program. They offered him his old job back when he made some significant discoveries recently, but he told them he preferred working in my organization. Mom has a really top notch medical staff and continues as head of neurosurgery at Middleton General, and my grandmother, Nana, is still the ramrod of basic agent training."

"Your grandmother? Isn't she a little old to be..."

She stared the reporter down, challenging her, "Hah! You try and get her out of there! She's three times my age and she still takes me down two out of three!"

"Really?", said the reporter, obviously impressed, "She must be some lady."

She smiled, "Oh, yeah! Totally!"

The reporter chuckled, "Good. Now let's see. That's good information on your professional life. Personally, my notes show Team Go formally joined you at the end of your freshman year in college. Three years later, you graduated from college with honors and then you got married..."

Kim closed her eyes. Everybody always joked about that cliche of 'true love' when they saw Ron and her together, but the wonderful thing was even as a cliche, it didn't alter the immense truth of that love in the slightest. The reporter said something else, but she didn't catch it, being too lost in the moment.

* * *

She was at the altar in her traditional white gown and veil. Though she had shopped for a long time, she eventually realized there was only one dress she could wear. She knew it as soon as Ron mentioned how much he loved the wedding picture on her mother's desk. When she asked her mother if she could wear it, Dr. Possible was absolutely thrilled. They were able to retrieve it from storage and it took very little to alter it for Kim's figure.

Ron stood beside her now in a proper black tuxedo. After the Bermuda Triangle affair and the Junior Prom, she always made sure he would dress properly for these types of occasions. True to tradition, she had never let him see her in the dress before the ceremony, and the look in his eyes when he first saw her coming down the aisle on her father's arm... ...She would remember that look for the rest of her life.

Rabbi Katz and the pastor were on the altar in their full regalia for the joint religious ceremony. Wade was there as best man. Not even he would dare not coming in person for this. Rufus was dressed as a groomsman. Ron wanted him to be the best man, but since he wasn't a 'man', the clergy had some concerns, so he became a 'groomsrat' instead, properly dressed of course. Among the other groomsmen were Felix, Eric, and Kim's brothers. Monique was shining as the Maid of Honor. Jos and Shego were next to her, looking totally awesome as bridesmaids. And of course the girls from the cheerleading squad, past and present, filled out the rest of the assembly.

On the altar, looking briefly back, she could see her parents on the front row and she smiled at them. They smiled back, her mother crying uncontrollably. Ron's parents were there too, and Mrs. Stoppable was sobbing just as much. Even Sensei had come, sitting with Nana in the second row. She turned back and looked deep into Ron's eyes, as he was looking into hers. The Clergymen intoned the words, and they recited their vows. Finally, the pastor and the rabbi spoke the final part, 'until death do us part.'

Kim repeated it just as Ron had done first, and then he spoke again.

"Doesn't matter where..."

The pastor and Rabbi Katz looked at each other and then at Ron, a little puzzled. This wasn't part of the ceremony they had practiced.

Kim gasped softly, but knew where he was going.

She repeated it, "Doesn't matter where."

Together they recited in unison, "Doesn't matter when."

"I will be there for you 'til the very end."

"In danger or trouble, I'm there on the double."

"You know that you always can call."

He finished by saying, "Ronald Stoppable."

She completed it, saying, "Kimberly Ann Stoppable."

They smiled widely at each other as they were pronounced husband and wife, and then he kissed her.

* * *

"So now Team Possible has come to full flower.", said the reporter, "You are the leader of the preeminent crime fighting super team in the world, eclipsing even Global Justice. The threat to the world from super villains has been reduced to a bare minimum, thanks to your work. I would say you have reached the pinnacle of your success."

Kim nodded peacefully at the reporter, considering that accomplishment, and was proud of it.

"Yes, though we will always strive to improve, you know."

"And I understand your major arch-foes are now out of action."

"Yes. Dr. Drakken was eventually captured and sentenced to life in prison, again, I might add, as was Killigan. But without Shego to support Drakken, he is unable to escape this time, especially when the villains union found out how he had abandoned Killigan and Monkey Fist. Now none of them will ever work with him."

She paused a moment thinking about the future, then continued, "But, you never know if he might escape. We'll just have to watch for it. We found Monkey Fist in his lair in Southeast Asia, little more than a babbling, uh, monkey. Somehow his brain got fried by losing the Mystical Monkey Power. He'll never recover and he's in a nursing home back in England.

"Shego was pardoned when it became clear that the tumor was what caused her to be evil, and she has since proved herself again and again as a hero. After that, she married her high school sweetheart and they have a four year old son and are trying for a baby girl now. That little boy looks just like his father, too. Her husband's now a member of Team Go, their only non-super-powered operative. But he's extremely capable, and he pretty much does for Shego what Ron does for me. He's got her back covered."

"And Ron? Uhh, Mr. Stoppable?"

She said, smirking, "Well, he did inherit the Mystical Monkey Power. He helps Nana teach the basic agent training course now on top of being the CFO of Team Possible and president of Bueno Nacho. He was able to call the Lotus Blade back from Africa, just like he did before in Japan, and it was returned to the Yamanuchi school where it belongs."

Kim sighed as she added, "Of course, trying to keep enough bananas for all those monkeys roaming all over the base is so a chore. Thankfully, there no longer seems to be any monkey issues anymore..."

Then she frowned in irritation, "...Except I'm the one who still has to feed the monkeys."

The reporter chuckled, then asked, "So where do you go from here?"

But Kim wasn't paying attention anymore as she abruptly doubled over in pain once again.

Shego's voice came from just outside the door saying, "Hey, Sidekick!"

She looked up excitedly. That was always her pet name for Ron.

"Oh, Ron, where are you?", she cried out, holding the pillow over her belly.

As if in answer, Ron burst through the door with the twins, one in each hand.

"Sorry, Kim! I missed that turn on the interstate. The boys were at it again in the back seat."

The pain receding to a manageable level, Kim sat back up and looked at her four year old first born twin sons with a scowl.

"Jim, Tim, what have I told you?"

It was clear who was the disciplinarian here as the twins looked cowed, saying, "To say please and thank you?"

Even when she was mad at them, she still marveled how beautiful they were to her. They were almost the spitting images of the tweebs as kids, for whom she had named them, but with Ron's tousled blond hair, looking just like the future images had shown her when she and Ron met the Great Trine.

"And?", she went on.

"Uh, and to mind Dad?"

"Well, did you?"

They peeked at their father, who was frowning and slowly shaking his head. Looking back at their mother, they became properly contrite, saying, "Sorrrry, Mom."

Kim growled in irritation. They were also just as bad as their uncles at that age.

"Ohhhhh!", she griped, dropping her forehead onto her knees, "When will they learn?"

Her mother chuckled beside her.

Kim slowly raised her head and glared at her, "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"

She continued reading her journal, but smiled and muttered half to herself, "You have no idea!", and kept on chuckling.

Kim was racked with another spasm, more intense than before. Ron became concerned and Dr. Possible stopped laughing, put down the magazine, and came over to check on her daughter. As if on cue, Kim's doctor came into the room.

"Finally! The surgical suite is ready.", she said, " I'm sorry labor and delivery is full, but this should do fine."

Ron said, "I want to be there."

"No problem. Her contractions are getting closer. She's gone into labor a little early, but at thirty-six weeks, the babies should be fine. Her other injuries are painful, but minor. The epidural will take care of that. The main thing now is to get her delivered."

"Spasms! They're spasms!", she replied to that, grimacing as she pressed the pillow to her swollen stomach. She didn't like the term contractions from the first time she went through this. The word kept giving her these irrational images of her belly gradually shrinking and disappearing on her, as if to nullify her pregnancy. She knew it was silly, but it still bothered her.

"Whatever!", said her obstetrician in irritation, "It shouldn't be long now."

"So, doctor, the injuries from her last mission aren't serious? They can wait?"

"Ron!", said Kim, exasperated, "It wasn't a mission! How am I going to go on a mission being eight months pregnant with twins again?"

Her mother muttered again, "Boy, I'm glad I only had to do that once."

"Mom!", said Kim, glaring at her mother once more. Dr. Possible looked at her with droll eyes and a smirk.

"I stand by my statement, Kim.", said Ron, "I think it was brave of you to go."

"It was no big! Just a lecture to FBI academy graduates. There was no danger!"

"Only until that car crashed into the auditorium and wiped out half the stage! Only you could have made that jump in your condition!"

Kim's mother piped in then, "Ron, leave her be. You know that at twenty-eight, she can't be expected to do everything she did when she was sixteen!"

Both Kim and Ron stared at her.

After a quick thought, she revised her statement, "Well, actually she can, can't she?"

"She's even better now than when she was sixteen!", he said in defense of his wife, "and she still looks sixteen to me!"

He was speaking out of love, but it was actually true. Possible women all kept their age very well, but Kim wasn't in the mood for compliments at the moment.

"Ohhhh!", she groaned, laying back in the bed, "That was soooooo embarrassing!"

"Hey, it's not your fault your water broke when you landed.", he said.

Kim glowered at him. Even her mother and the doctor looked appalled, then Kim suddenly laughed. Here he was, the Chosen One, her husband, the person she loved more than anybody, who was as much a part of the Prophecy as she was, who was as capable and daring and protective and wonderful as any human being on this planet, and he was also still just as perfectly capable of sticking his foot in his mouth at the most incredible times.

"What?", he protested in bewilderment, "What'd I say?"

She continued to laugh until another contraction hit her and the obstetrician said, "Okay, it's time to go, Everybody out of the way!"

She called in the attendants and Kim was wheeled out of the room down to the surgery wing. Ron left the twins with their grandmother as he accompanied the stretcher to the suite for the delivery. Everybody else made themselves as comfortable as they could to wait it out.

It only took three hours for Kim to deliver two healthy identical twin girls. Fortunately, there were no other injuries internally, and the other external lesions were minor, so no surgery was required. She and Ron had already picked out the names, Kimberly Jean and Myriam Ann... ...Kim and Mim. In recovery, an exhausted Kim Possible rested quietly while Ron sat by and held her hand. The reporter who had been interviewing her had asked for a quick word, saying she was finished with the interview and just wanted to thank her. The rest of the family had already come and gone as had Shego and her brothers and most of Team Possible's support staff. Kim said it was okay for her to come in.

* * *

At the nursery, there was little other activity this late at night as the old man and woman approached the window. Nobody else was there to visit. Lovingly, they gazed through the window upon the two new arrivals with the name "Stoppable" written hastily on the white name card attached to the incubator. The two tiny babies were quiet now, sleeping soundly, bundled up in warming blankets, a small pink cap over each tiny head, wisps of brilliant red hair escaping from underneath each of them.

"And so, it begins anew." whispered Nana softly.

"Yes, my old friend, it does.", replied Sensei, "The Prophecies have foretold it."

"Our job is almost done, then."

"Almost.", he agreed, "You have confirmed the Dragon at the Great Trial. And I have bestowed the final legacy upon the Monkey and the Rat."

"And the Great Trine shall save the world...", she replied, mostly to herself, looking at the babies again.

Sensei smiled as he gazed upon the children once more. They watched in silence for several moments.

"And they will have their fates to play as well.", he said, deep in thought, "Was it so long ago, dear friend? It still seems like only a short while."

Nana smiled to herself as she looked at her great granddaughters, "I know what you mean. I was younger than Kimberly is now, and you were but an acolyte, attending your master at the Great Trial, which I failed."

"Which you were meant to fail.", he gently corrected, "It was part of the Prophecy as we all now know. I was only a young boy, in awe of the 'Dragon', a woman of great beauty who is as beautiful today as she was back then."

She turned to him grinning.

"Well, I wasn't the true 'Dragon', and you were always a flatterer, Sensei.", she said , chuckling.

"But you are still beautiful, I might add.", he replied with twinkling eyes, smiling at her, then he looked steadily at the babies once more.

"And so comes the penultimate recitation..."

Under his breath, he intoned that part of the Prophecy.

_Born in the year of the Monkey under the month of the Dragon, shall come the twins, descended of the Dragon and the bearer of her legacy_

_Born in the year of the Monkey, at the hour of the rat, shall come the twins, mirrors of each other who shall face different quests as they assume the mantle of the Dragon._

_Born in the year of the Dragon, in the month of the Rat shall come the emerald one, descended of the Dragon's enemy to challenge the Monkey and through them, the Dragon._

_Born in the year of the Dragon enabled in emerald power, shall come he to join with the Monkey and the Rat, and all three shall save the world._

Softly, he said it, took a deep breath, and sighed.

"And then, the one who will inherit that legacy, the Great Dragon herself shall come to complete the fulfillment of the Prophecies.", Nana said, closing her eyes momentarily as she relished the prospect of that feat.

"We shall be long gone.", replied Sensei, "to a well deserved rest."

She turned and looked at him, "I am pleased, my friend. I believe we have succeeded well in teaching our charges what they needed to know."

"Yes.", said the old master, "I trust that our Dragon and her Trine shall be as capable with the Great Dragon herself, and as you did with your granddaughter..."

"So shall my granddaughter do with hers."

* * *

"Thanks so much for the information, Mrs. Stoppable.", said the reporter, "It's a great story. I'll send you a copy before printing."

Ron said, "Actually she still uses her maiden name professionally. We agreed on that when we got married."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah! You know, Jewish tradition in some places, like in Israel, actually holds to a matriarchal lineage system, so I've never had any problem with Kim staying with the Possible name on a professional basis. Besides, it's the marketing thing. Stoppable... ...Possible... ...It just made more sense to stay with the name that presented the better image."

"I see. Well, thank you, Ms. Possible. I wish you the best."

Kim was tired, but smiled as she said, "Thanks, but Ron left out one thing. That is my professional name. But in private or personal matters, I've always been proud to be Mrs. Ron Stoppable."

She squeezed his hand, and he brought hers up to his lips and kissed it, smiling and squeezing it in return. The reporter grinned and turned, leaving them to their privacy. She was the last visitor, thankfully, and things were finally still and quiet. Ron was glad for that because he wanted Kim to get some rest, and very soon after that, Kim did start to drift off.

"Ron.", she said sleepily.

"Yes, honey."

"The girls do look like me, don't they?"

"Oh, yeah.", he replied softly, "Just like we saw them."

"Do you think they'll be like me?"

He smiled, "Gosh, I hope so. Down to every single jump and kick."

She yawned wide and replied, "Well, we're going to have to teach them all of our moves early on."

He thought about the future that his wife was envisioning. Raising two children for the past four years, she no longer led all the away missions. Jos had fully matured into a beautiful young woman, and performed amazingly as second in command of Team Possible, just as they had hoped. She was about to graduate from a masters program with honors and had become the strong independent woman they knew she would be, fully trained to lead the team, which she often did when Kim was indisposed with other duties like taking the twins to preschool. It was amazing how family life as parents made it so much harder to get away and do the missions. 'Boy!', he thought, 'Things were so much easier when we were in high school.'

Shego carried on as a back up commander behind Kim and Jos, but preferred to stay on just as leader of Team Go. He himself was completely satisfied to remain in the background in a support role and left the leadership duties to the women. Still, he never failed to be there in the thick of the battle. He would always have Kim's back protected.

But when family life didn't intervene, his wife was still the same Kim Possible, world famous (though no longer a teen) hero, ferociously leading the fight to the bad guys whenever or wherever they appeared, always there to help people in trouble. It was what she had been born to do, what she was destined and charged to do by the Prophecy. Now they had four children, ready to explore the world with their parents to help them.

He replied, "Yeah, honey. We're going to teach them everything. They do look just like you, red hair and all. And with two more Possible twins coming at the bad guys in the world, things will be just fine."

"Hmmm." she said sleepily, "Yes, they will."

She smiled up at him under sleepy, half closed eyes, "I love you, you know."

Ron smiled back at her.

"Yeah, I know.", he replied lovingly, "Right back at you, K.P.", and his free hand went up and caressed the small Star of David that still hung around his neck.

She yawned, snuggling down into the pillow to get some rest, saying, "Wake me when they bring the girls around. They'll probably be ready for their first feeding."

"It's okay, honey. I know the routine. Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me..."

But she was already asleep before he finished the sentence.


	28. Chapter 28

**Epilogue**

The klaxons sounded menacingly within the compound, making the already furious activity amongst the paratroopers intensify even more. Their Super Black Hawk jet/helicopter hybrid aircraft that had been specially built for Team Possible operations started to rev up, being primed for takeoff from the main hangar. Slick suited operatives, masked and gloved, were finalizing their preparations, checking their weapons, girding on ammunition belts. Black uniform and webbing were now the order of the day along with night vision capability after it was revealed that this was to be a nocturnal operation. Those orders had only come down from the top about fifteen minutes ago. The scuttlebutt was that a major coup attempt was going down somewhere in the world. As the men got themselves ready for the task at hand, the far door opened suddenly and the mission commander stepped out smart and purposeful, followed by the primary team in similar manner, all in mission ready gear.

"Attention on deck!", yelled the support team leader. Everyone snapped to, lined up in two rows to either side as the mission commander strode quickly between them towards the lead bird, followed by the primary team. The din died down somewhat but not much as the non-combat personnel continued at their own hectic pace to get the aircraft ready for the mission.

The mission commander approached the lead aircraft and turned around to face the men. The primary team kept going on past to the chopper and boarded it, quickly strapping themselves in, all except for a taller blond man who stood directly behind the mission commander like a personal bodyguard.

"Listen up, people!", the commander barked, "You'll get your direct orders from your individual squad leaders once you are airborne. The immediate mission is to stop an attempted coup of a Southeast Asian nation, the location of which you will get once you are in flight."

There was a pause as if to invite a query, but no one raised a question, knowing that security demanded measures like this. Everything was on a need to know basis.

The mission commander continued, "Remember that the primary team will focus on the lead elements of the enemy attack. They are all in possession of laser rifles, which is why the government called us in for this job. Your job is to neutralize and capture the supporting enemy troops. Stay in touch, follow your orders, and remember your training. I have faith in you. You'll do fine. Squad leaders! Any questions?..."

No one spoke up.

"All right, dismissed!"

The support team leader shouted:"All right, men! Let's get it going! Go! Go! Go!"

Everybody scrambled for their rides. The lead bird started its engines, following the others before it. As the rotors slowly began to turn, a nearby side door opened up, and a woman in a lab coat came through followed by an attendant nurse. She was holding two small bundles. The Mission Commander and her body guard turned to see, and they smiled hugely, hurrying over to see the woman and the new arrivals...

"They just woke up, Kimmie. I had to bring them to say hello before you left."

Kim Possible took the first bundle and gently hugged her daughter Kim and kissed her hello. The baby cooed and clucked in response, as did Mim when she gathered her into her arms and kissed her also. Ron was there right behind Kim, holding the babies and bussing them as well.

"Gosh! They are so big for three months.", Kim said with a huge smile, "And look at them! They aren't the slightest bit afraid of all this activity."

"Well, I think it's because they take after their mother.", said Ron.

"Thanks, honey.", she said appreciatively, smiling at him, "That's so sweet. But Mom, they need to be fed."

"I know, dear, I've got the bottles ready. If you come back early enough, you can take the next feeding.", her mother replied, handing off one of the twins to the nurse waiting with her.

"Huh! You'd do it all yourself if you could.", Kim needled.

"Well, can I help if I just love my little grandbabies to pieces?", she said, chuckling.

"Of course not, Mom.", Kim said, smiling again.

The klaxon blared once more and Kim briefly glanced back at her aircraft, rotors coming close to take off speed. She looked back to her mother.

"Well, we've gotta go. The chopper's ready."

Dr. Possible said, "You know. Every time you go on one of these large scale missions, you sound more and more like that old teacher of yours."

"Which one?"

Oh, what was his name?", mused Dr. Possible, "Oh, yes! Mr. Barkin."

Kim's face fell.

"Yeah. So I've been told.", she answered, a little irritated, "It's no big."

Ron looked bemused as he interjected, "Gee, she's right. You really do, Kim.".

"Who do you think first told me that?", she replied in monotone.

"How'd he know?"

"He heard me addressing the operatives on the news that one time the press were allowed to interview us here on base and observe operations. You know, it was a couple of years back?"

"Oh, yeah.", Ron replied, recalling the incident.

" Sheesh! Never again!", Kim griped, "He called me up complaining I wasn't 'properly' addressing the troops!"

"I hear that, K.P. That sounds like Barkin."

Dr. Possible said, "I don't care. I think it sounds very commanding, and it works."

Kim sighed, smiling again, "Thanks, Mom. I guess that was the only role model I had for it. But you're right. It does work."

She heard the chopper's rotors start to whine at the right frequency, telling her they were at takeoff speed at this point. She had to go, and so kissed her mother as she turned to leave.

"Be careful, dear.", Dr. Possible called after her, "Okay, Kim and Mim, wave bye-bye!"

She held up baby Kim's little hand as the nurse held up Mim's, and they both waved.

Kim waved back, smiling yet again as she and Ron rushed back to the chopper. Climbing on board, they settled into their seats. Jos was already there, stationed in the second in command's chair, the others strapped in and ready. She was studying a monitor screen displaying the target area and punching some control panel buttons to magnify the map.

"Okay, Kim. We're good to go.", she said, looking back at her cousin, "From the mission intel Wade gave us, this ought to be easier than roping cows in a box canyon."

"Sweet.", Kim replied, a confident look on her face, "We should be able to avoid any injuries then. Is stealth mode available?"

"On this bird and most of the others. We have the others back ordered, so three or four of these choppers still don't have them installed."

Ron frowned, "They should have been delivered already. Don't worry, Kim. I'll take care of it when we get back."

Kim nodded thoughtfully, "I know you will, honey. In the meantime, Jos, have those birds fly the back end of the mission. We need to go in with as much of an element of surprise as we can."

"Roger, cuz.", answered Jos. She got on the mike to com the other choppers with the new arrangement orders.

Kim turned to the back of the craft where the other six members of the expanded primary team were buckled up.

"You doing okay, Shego? Got everything you need?"

Shego looked up with a huge smile, "Let's do it, Kim! I've been spoiling for a good fight for weeks! Haven't had one since the twins were born!"

Her face was suffused with excitement. Eric was seated behind her, calm reassurance virtually etched onto his face. Shego's brothers were seated further back and were just as eager.

"We'll soften them up for you before you go in, Princess.", she added, a sly grin now settling on her face.

"Thanks, Shego.", said Kim, smiling her appreciation to her 'big sister'.

"And I've got your back.", said Ron softly to her, seated behind and to her right.

Kim looked back over her shoulder at him, her face beaming with pleasure as she replied, "As always, lover boy."

Then she leaned in and softly kissed him.

Shego smiled wider as she watched them, and then reached behind for Eric. He grabbed her hand and squeezed, leaning forward and kissing her softly on the cheek before sitting back down.

Kim lingered a moment face to face with Ron, still smiling, just drinking in the pleasure of the kiss, before she turned to the display in front of her command chair and commed Mission Intelligence.

"What's the sitch, Wade?"

Wade piped in, his booming bass voice filling the helicopter bay, "Well, as you know, word of the coup was leaked out by the American ambassador. He was in the palace seeing one of the government ministers when the attack started. Fortunately he slipped out of the compound before anybody noticed. We activated the satellites to get a better view."

"Has the data been collated for the mission?"

"Yep. XO's already got it.", replied Wade, referring to Jos who nodded in confirmation.

"The squad commanders have been briefed on operational details?", Kim added.

"And they have the local maps of the palace grounds also."

"Good", she said, "We should be set then."

"Yeah. This data gave us a big head start..."

Wade started going over details of the mission with Kim. As he did, Ron watched her, thinking. As usual, he let the women lead the mission. That was fine with him. His job was protecting her back. But it struck him as he observed Kim hammer out the last details of the mission, musing deeply about how she was the most adept and effective crime fighting human being on the planet, and also seeing how beautiful she was just then. She had recovered quickly from the birth of the twins and was back in peak physical condition, and you could never tell this woman had given birth to a child at all, much less two sets of twins. Her body was rock hard from the training she put herself through to get back into that kind of shape. She looked so good in her standard mission mode garb of cargo pants and bare midriff tank top, her belt holding her hair dryer grappler. That made him smirk briefly. She didn't need to carry that particular model anymore, but the hair dryer was still a sentimental favorite, as it was with Ron and Jos. In fact, the only difference in her mission mode uniform was the decal stitched into her left shoulder with Team Possible's emblem.

Her long red hair hung so seductively down her back, as brilliant as ever. These days, she no longer wore the battle suit. It had been retired years ago due to its tendencies to break down. But she really didn't need it anyway. Her skills were superb enough to make up the difference, and he couldn't help thinking how she really was at the top of her game right now. It was true. She really was even better at this job now than when they were in high school.

He sat there and shook his head in wonder, and thought not for the first time, 'Man, I really have got to be the luckiest guy on the planet."

_Born in the year of the Dragon under the month of the rat, shall come she whose time will ring with the dragon's wars._

_Born in the year of the Dragon at the hour of the monkey, shall come she who shall thwart all evil._

_Born in the year of the Dragon and of the earth shall come she whose soul shall be the monkey and whose friend shall be the rat._

_Born in the year of the Dragon enveloped in fire and full knowledge from birth shall come she of the great Trine, and all three shall save the world._

In pain, the old man repeated the words in the manner of a mantra, which was how he learned it, trying to steer his attention away from his injuries. The rebels had been unmerciful in their questioning of him and had no concern for his age in doing it. Finished with him for now, they threw him into a small closet of the palace. He lay in the dark there, his hands tied behind his back. His fingers had been broken and possibly a couple of ribs also as they had tried to get him to confess to 'crimes' and pump him for valuable 'state secrets'. He groaned again from the twinges of pain he experienced with each breath, and went on with the recitation to dull his mind to the fact he hurt so badly.

_Born in the year of the Dragon under the month of the monkey, shall come the Chosen One, he who shall inherit the great simian powers._

_Born in the year of the Dragon at the hour of the rat, shall come he who shall enable the dragon in her struggle against evil in the dragon's wars._

_Born in the year of the Dragon and of the earth and a far away land shall come he who is the soul of the dragon and whose friend shall be the rat._

_Born in the year of the Dragon enabled in amber light through love of the dragon shall come he of the great Trine, and all three shall save the world._

In his youth, he had studied to be a monk, a disciple at a Shaolin monastery, and had learned the words there. They were supposed to be the words to a great prophecy for which the masters had high reverence, related to tales of great warriors of the past, all women, whose responsibility it was to ensure the safety of the world throughout history. But when he asked who the champion was, he was told only that she was not yet come. Yet the tales specifically hinted she had already appeared. This only confused him, and the masters would not elaborate further. Still, he studied hard and tried his best to understand, to be worthy of becoming an acolyte. One thing students learned early on was how to meditate, and the students were taught to do it often using chants of verses of the ancient texts as a focusing mantra. These verses in particular were popular with the students of his day for that purpose. And so, he worked diligently toward his goal. But despite his best effort, he did not possess the ability to wield the magic.

Suddenly, the old man's fingers flared in agony as he accidentally moved them the wrong way. Again, he concentrated on the words to relieve the pain.

_Born in the year of the Dragon under the month of the rat, shall come the Friend, the one who shall stand by the Chosen One, his comfort in time of need._

_Born in the year of the Dragon at the hour of the rat, shall come the one who through great friendship shall bear up the dragon and the monkey._

_Born in the year of the Dragon and of the earth shall come the one whose heart shall be known as true, the love of his friends their salvation_

_Born in the year of the Dragon emboldened by faith, through steadfast commitment shall come the Friend of the great Trine, and all three shall save the world._

He continued to chant the verses, deflecting the pain to a bearable level. He only wished he were better at it. Yes, he had disciplined himself to the rigors of the training, but his talents did not match his zeal, and he found he was unable to advance any further. In time he came to doubt the magic existed at all, and the verses were only so much mysticism with no usefulness beyond how he used them now. So he left the monastery to pursue another means of living. In time, he found his path into public service in another way, able to channel his skills in dealing with people into a political career. He dedicated himself to raising the standard of living of his country, facing down military would-be tyrants, arousing the people with him, enduring the hardships and the violence that usually came with a peaceful attempt to change the rulership of the country despite trying to avoid it. Yet in time, after many years, he had succeeded, and in large part thanks to the disciplines he learned as a young man in the temple. He had become the duly elected president of his country in its first democracy ever, a notable event in this part of Southeast Asia which had hardly seen any democracy at all. But it was so fragile, and he had only been here a few months before the sudden rebellion came upon him and his government. Almost crying at thinking how quickly he had lost what took so many years to build, he continued to chant the words.

_Born in the year of the Monkey under the month of the Dragon, shall come the twins, descended of the Dragon and the bearer of her legacy_

_Born in the year of the Monkey, at the hour of the rat, shall come the twins, mirrors of each other who shall face different quests as they assume the mantle of the Dragon._

_Born in the year of the Dragon, in the month of the Rat shall come the emerald one, descended of the Dragon's enemy to challenge the Monkey and through them, the Dragon._

_Born in the year of the Dragon enabled in emerald power, shall come he to join with the Monkey and the Rat, and all three shall save the world._

He had lost so much now, and did not know what would happen to him or the members of his government, but feared the worst. He had badly misjudged the colonel and his troops, thinking they were completely dedicated to him and the ideals he professed, so he was utterly dismayed at the break of dawn to find the army supposedly loyal to the cause overrunning the palace and taking him and the government ministers into custody, beating and denigrating them while proclaiming to everyone around and all the world that they were 'freeing' the country from the 'demagoguery' of the President and his 'dictatorial rule'. He grimaced again, his pain coming more from the thoughts of how his country was about to suffer. Trying to keep his composure, he continued the mantra.

_Born in the year of the Dragon under the month of the dragon, shall come the Great Dragon, she who will inherit all the gifts, who will bear them against the greatest trials._

_Born in the year of the Dragon, at the hour of the dragon, she shall come, the ultimate defender, to complete the defense of the world, guided by those who came before her._

_Born in the year of the Dragon, and of the earth, she shall defeat the great enemy, in the footsteps of her namesake, and in the counsel of her predecessors._

_Born in the year of the Dragon enabled in full emerald power, she shall come, and with those of her blood they shall all save the world._

Over and over he repeated the words, keeping himself calm, until there was a clatter from the door being roughly pulled open, blinding him with the harsh light that intruded inside the closet. Two men in military uniform reached in and brutally wrenched him up from the floor, forcing him to scream in agony as they dragged him off.

* * *

"Colonel! The sentries have confirmed the sounds of helicopters coming our way!"

Distressed, the colonel, a rough looking Asian man with a goatee, adjusted his fatigues as he got up from the table. The coup had gone smoothly and they sat in the main ballroom of the presidential residence. It was nighttime and the countryside was quiet with the sounds of the jungle outside softly coming in on the breeze. The ballroom was the largest chamber in the palace and was being used as a temporary holding area for his prisoners. There were about twenty of them here, consisting of the President, his cabinet, and his primary advisers. He himself had about thirty troops in the room, and over five hundred around the palace grounds. Pacing impatiently, he waited until the guards came into the room dragging the old man between them, rudely slapping him down into a chair in front of their commander. The old man bent over in pain and groaned his distress. The colonel walked quickly over to him and glared angrily at the pathetic figure.

Grabbing him by the hair, the colonel wrenched the old man's face up and spat on him.

"Who is coming, Mr. President?", he shouted, "Who is coming? I warned you what would happen if there was any rescue attempt!"

The old man's face wrenched into a look of worry and concern, "I do not know! I have given you my word I would not resist as long as nobody got hurt! I have sent for nobody. I swear! I know nothing of this!"

Sounds of fighting and laser fire began to filter in from the outside. The palace grounds were obviously under attack.

The colonel sneered at the man, "And you expect me to believe that? Guards!"

The two guards who had brought him in quickly stepped back up.

"Throw him in the river! I've had enough of this!"

They picked up the President by his arms and started to drag him out of the room, moving towards the rear entrance. The palace was located near the main river of the country and was an easy walk to the river bank. It was full of crocodiles this time of year.

""No! I beg you! I know nothing!", he blubbered as they dragged him away.

Their world erupted into chaos as two fiery blasts of green plasma blew the floor out from under the two guards. Their bodies careened away as the president landed roughly on the slick marble. Stunned, he looked up to see a woman dressed in green and black tights with a long, gleaming mane of black hair jumping from the high windows which had been blown out during the coup attempt, deftly somersaulting onto the floor. The air filled with laser rifle fire. Immediately landing next to the woman were five men. Four of them were in tights similar to hers but with different hues of blue, purple, and red mixed in with the black. The last one was dressed in standard nondescript jungle fatigues, bearing a stun rifle. But it was her glowing hands which distinguished her as she began throwing bolts of energy into the rebel troops, throwing them into a panic. As if by magic, they avoided being hit by any of the lasers, easily ducking the beams. The man in blue and black, a huge specimen, began to wade through the rebel troops nearest him, tossing them around like sacks of rice. The one in purple disappeared and then reappeared where he wasn't expected, striking with efficient swiftness. The two in red suddenly multiplied in number, becoming more than he could count, rushing and overwhelming the colonel's men through superior fighting and sheer numbers. The man with the stun rifle stayed close to the woman, repeatedly firing at anyone who came close to her, although it was a wonder to him that anyone could be a threat to her.

From above came a blond man and a woman with dark red hair, both dressed in black tops and cargo pants, swinging in on lines attached to grappling hooks that had been fired into the ceiling. They landed amongst the prisoners and began to free them. Something popped out of the blond man's pants pocket, some sort of rodent, and it immediately started to chew through the bindings of the prisoners as fast as it could. The President stared in awe as he saw that the colonel's men were in the fight of their lives with these unexpected saviors. The rebels would have turned their weapons on the prisoners, but their new enemy had anticipated that. The two younger men in red and black and their multiples specifically targeted anyone who barely looked cross-eyed at the captives.

Another figure moved above. The President looked up and saw her there. She stood in one of the high windows, shrewdly observing everything that was occurring. Her emerald eyes flicked back and forth, assessing, deciding, clearly the one in command of this rescue. Like the previous two he saw, she was dressed in a black top and cargo pants, a flowing crimson mane cascading down her back. She had the sense of taut steel in her stance, ready to act at any moment. But it was her face and her eyes that stunned him more than anything. It was the aura he saw shining from them, piercing him like a lance.

A vague outline appeared around her, and he gasped.

It was a vision he knew well from his studies in the Shaolin temple before he became a leader for his people, the same vision he was taught to expect each time he heard the verses, the same ones he used in his meditations that just a few moments ago he had uttered yet again. He had learned very young what the vision would be, drummed into his mind by his teachers at the temple. Yet for so long now, it had been no more than a myth, a children's fairy tale of hope. But now, in reverential awe, he stared as the ephemeral creature around the woman reared back and roared with indignant fury at the wrongs it saw, coiling its scaled body, unfurling its wings, and then springing to strike, to make all who opposed her fear who and what she was, and he saw that she had indeed finally come. The Dragon had come to save the world as prophesied.

Tears of joy in his eyes, the old man gazed at her as the colonel, as shocked as his troops, turned and saw that his men were no match for these newcomers. Seeing the coup now dissolving as rapidly as it occurred, he angrily turned on the President, drawing his pistol and aiming at him.

"If nothing else,", he growled savagely, "I'll get rid of this buffoon!"

A grappling hook slammed into his hand, knocking his weapon to the floor.

In an acid tone, the woman said, "You know, I really... ... _really_ hate the word 'buffoon!..."

Grasping his wrist in stunned surprise, the colonel looked up at the woman swinging in on a line right at him, brilliant red hair streaming behind her, and the last thing he saw before he blacked out was the look of righteous joy on her face as he was slammed unconscious.

  
**THE END**

**...and the beginning..**


End file.
